Document:

Exhibit 10.24

 

MINERVA NEUROSCIENCES, INC.

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

2013 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

 

(Amended and Restated as of April 30, 2014)

 

ARTICLE 1

 

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

1.1          PURPOSE OF THE PLAN

 

This Amended and Restated 2013 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) is intended to promote the interests of Minerva Neurosciences, Inc., a Delaware corporation, by providing eligible persons in the Corporation’s service with the opportunity to acquire a proprietary interest, or otherwise increase their proprietary interest, in the Corporation as an incentive for them to remain in such service.

 

All share numbers set forth herein give effect to the 3.5:1 reverse stock split approved by the Board on April 29, 2014.

 

Capitalized terms shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the attached Appendix.

 

1.2          TYPES OF AWARDS

 

Awards may be made under the Plan in the form of (i) options, (ii) stock appreciation rights, (iii) stock awards and (iv) restricted stock units.

 

1.3          ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN

 

(a)           The Compensation Committee shall have sole and exclusive authority to administer the Plan with respect to Section 16 Insiders.  Administration of the Plan with respect to all other persons eligible to participate in the Plan may, at the Board’s discretion, be vested in the Compensation Committee or a Secondary Board Committee, or the Board may retain the power to administer those programs with respect to such persons.  To the extent permitted by law, the Board or the Compensation Committee may delegate any or all of its authority to administer the Plan with respect to one or more classes of eligible persons (other than Section 16 Insiders) to one or more officers of the Corporation.

 

(b)           Members of the Compensation Committee or any Secondary Board 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 Board Committee and reassume all powers and authority previously delegated to such committee.

 

 

(c)           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 Awards 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 Award thereunder.

 

(d)           Service as a Plan Administrator by the members of the Compensation Committee or the Secondary Board Committee shall constitute service as Board members, and the 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 Compensation Committee or the Secondary Board Committee shall be liable for any act or omission made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Award thereunder.

 

1.4          ELIGIBILITY

 

(a)           The persons eligible to participate in the Plan are as follows:

 

(i)            Employees,

 

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

 

(iii)          consultants and other independent advisors who provide services to the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary).

 

(b)           The Plan Administrator shall have full authority to determine which eligible persons are to receive Awards under the Plan, the time or times when those Awards are to be made, the number of shares to be covered by each such Award, the time or times when the Award is to become exercisable, the status of an option for federal tax purposes, the maximum term for which an option or stock appreciation right is to remain outstanding, the vesting and issuance schedules applicable to the shares which are the subject of the Award, the cash consideration (if any) payable for those shares and the form (cash or shares of Common Stock) in which the Award is to be settled and, with respect to performance—based Awards, the performance objectives for each such Award, the amounts payable at designated levels of attained performance, any applicable service vesting requirements, and the payout schedule for each such Award.

 

1.5          STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

 

(a)           The stock issuable under the Plan shall be shares of authorized but unissued or reacquired Common Stock, including shares repurchased by the Corporation on the open market.  The number of shares of Common Stock initially reserved for issuance over the term of the Plan shall be limited to 3,543,754 shares, which consists of (i) 2,585,994 shares approved by the Board upon adoption of the original Plan, and (ii) 957,760 shares approved by

 

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the Board on April 29, 2014 and which are subject to stockholder approval of this amended and restated Plan.

 

(b)           The number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan shall automatically increase on the first trading day in January each calendar year during the term of the Plan, beginning with the 2015 calendar year, by an amount equal to four percent (4%) of the total number of shares of Common Stock outstanding as measured as of the last trading day in the immediately preceding calendar month, but in no event shall any such annual increase exceed 750,000 shares.

 

(c)           The maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to Incentive Options granted under the Plan shall be 3,543,754 plus, to the extent allowable under Section 422 of the Code, any shares that became available for issuance under the Plan pursuant to Section 1.5(f).  Such share limitation shall automatically be increased on the first trading day in January each calendar year, beginning with the 2015 calendar year, by the number of shares of Common Stock added to the share reserve on that day pursuant to the provisions of Section 1.5(b).

 

(d)           The maximum number of shares of Common Stock for which Stock Options and Stand-alone Rights that are settled in shares may be made to any person under the Plan in any calendar year shall not exceed 750,000 shares of Common Stock in the aggregate.

 

(e)           The maximum number of shares of Common Stock for which Awards (other than Stock Options and Stand-alone Rights that are settled in shares) may be made to any person under the Plan in any calendar year shall not exceed 750,000 shares of Common Stock in the aggregate.

 

(f)            Shares of Common Stock subject to outstanding Awards made under the Plan shall be available for subsequent award and issuance under the Plan to the extent those Awards expire or terminate for any reason prior to the issuance of the shares of Common Stock subject to those Awards or such Awards are cancelled in connection with the provisions of Section 2.6.  Unvested shares issued under the Plan and subsequently forfeited or repurchased by the Corporation, at a price per share not greater than the original issue price paid per share, pursuant to the Corporation’s repurchase rights under the Plan shall be added back to the number of shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under the Plan and shall accordingly be available for subsequent reissuance.  To the extent an Award is settled in cash rather than Shares, then the number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan shall not be reduced by the number of shares subject to such Award.

 

(g)           Should the exercise price of an option under the Plan be paid with shares of Common Stock (whether through the withholding of a portion of the otherwise issuable sharers or through the tender of actual outstanding shares), then the authorized reserve of Common Stock under the Plan shall be reduced only by the net number of shares issued under the exercised stock option and not by the gross number of shares for which that option is exercised.  Upon the exercise of any stock appreciation right under the Plan, the share reserve shall be reduced only by the net number of shares actually issued by the Corporation upon such exercise and not by the gross number of shares as to which such right is exercised.  If shares of

 

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Common Stock otherwise issuable under the Plan are withheld by the Corporation in satisfaction of the withholding taxes incurred in connection with the exercise, vesting or settlement of an Award, then the number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan shall be reduced by the net number of shares issued after such share withholding.

 

(h)           Should any change be made to the Common Stock by reason of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, combination of shares, exchange of shares, spin-off transaction or other change affecting the outstanding Common Stock as a class without the Corporation’s receipt of consideration, or should the value of outstanding shares of Common Stock be substantially reduced as a result of a spin-off transaction or an extraordinary dividend or distribution, or should there occur any merger, consolidation or other reorganization, then equitable adjustments shall be made by the Plan Administrator to (i) the maximum number and/or class of securities issuable under the Plan, (ii) the maximum number and/or class of securities by which the share reserve is to increase automatically each calendar year pursuant to the provisions of Section 1.5(b), (iii) the maximum number and/or class of securities for which any one person may be granted Stock Options and Stand-alone Rights that are settled in shares under the Plan in any calendar year, (iv) the maximum number and/or class of securities for which any one person may be granted Awards (other than Stock Options and Stand-alone Rights that are settled in shares) under the Plan in any calendar year, (v) the maximum number and/or class of securities that may be issued pursuant to Incentive Options, (vi) the number and/or class of securities and the exercise or base price per share in effect under each outstanding Award under the Plan and the consideration (if any) payable per share, and (vii) the number and/or class of securities subject to the Corporation’s outstanding repurchase rights under the Plan and the repurchase price payable per share.  The adjustments shall be made in such manner as the Plan Administrator deems appropriate and such adjustments shall be final, binding and conclusive.  In addition, in the event of a Change in Control, the provisions of Section 2.5 shall apply.

 

(i)            Outstanding Awards granted pursuant to the 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.

 

ARTICLE 2

 

AWARDS

 

2.1          OPTIONS

 

(a)           Authority.  The Plan Administrator shall have full power and authority, exercisable in its sole discretion, to grant Incentive Options and Nonstatutory Options evidenced by one or more Award Agreements in the form approved by the Plan Administrator; provided, however, that the terms of each such agreement shall not be inconsistent with the terms specified below.  Each agreement evidencing an Incentive Option shall, in addition, be subject to the provisions of Section 2.1(f) below.

 

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(b)           Exercise Price.

 

(i)            The exercise price per share shall be fixed by the Plan Administrator; provided, however, that such exercise price shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the grant date.

 

(ii)           The exercise price shall become immediately due upon exercise of the option and shall, subject to the provisions of the Award Agreement evidencing the option, be payable in one or more of the forms specified below:

 

(A)          cash or check made payable to the Corporation,

 

(B)          shares of Common Stock (whether delivered in the form of actual stock certificates or through attestation of ownership) held for the requisite period (if any) necessary to avoid any resulting charge to the Corporation’s earnings for financial reporting purposes and valued at Fair Market Value on the Exercise Date,

 

(C)          shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable under the option but withheld by the Corporation in satisfaction of the exercise price, with such withheld shares to be valued at Fair Market Value on the exercise date, or

 

(D)          to the extent the option is exercised for vested shares of Common Stock, through a special sale and remittance procedure pursuant to which the Participant shall concurrently provide instructions to (a) a brokerage firm (reasonably satisfactory to the Corporation for purposes of administering such procedure in compliance with the Corporation’s pre-clearance/pre-notification policies) to effect the immediate sale of the purchased shares and remit to the Corporation, out of the sale proceeds available on the settlement date, sufficient funds to cover the aggregate exercise price payable for the purchased shares plus all applicable income and employment taxes required to be withheld by the Corporation by reason of such exercise and (b) the Corporation to deliver the certificates for the purchased shares directly to such brokerage firm on such settlement date in order to complete the sale.

 

Except to the extent such sale and remittance procedure is utilized, payment of the exercise price for the purchased shares must be made on the Exercise Date.

 

(c)           Exercise and Term of Options.  Each option 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 Award Agreements evidencing the option.  However, no option shall have a term in excess of ten (10) years measured from the option grant date.

 

(d)           Effect of Termination of Service.

 

(i)            The following provisions shall govern the exercise of any options that are outstanding at the time of the Participant’s cessation of Service or death:

 

(A)          Any option outstanding at the time of the Participant’s cessation of Service for any reason shall remain exercisable for such period of time thereafter as

 

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shall be determined by the Plan Administrator and set forth in the documents evidencing the option, but no such option shall be exercisable after the expiration of the option term.

 

(B)          Any option held by the Participant at the time of the Participant’s death and exercisable in whole or in part at that time may be subsequently exercised by the personal representative of the Participant’s estate or by the person or persons to whom the option is transferred pursuant to the Participant’s will or the laws of inheritance or by the Participant’s designated beneficiary or beneficiaries of that option.

 

(C)          Should the Participant’s Service be terminated for Misconduct or should the Participant otherwise engage in Misconduct while holding one or more outstanding options, then all of those options shall terminate immediately and cease to be outstanding.

 

(D)          During the applicable post-Service exercise period, the option may not be exercised for more than the number of vested shares for which the option is at the time exercisable.  No additional shares shall vest under the option following the Participant’s cessation of Service except to the extent (if any) specifically authorized by the Plan Administrator in its sole discretion pursuant to an express written agreement with the Participant.  Upon the expiration of the applicable exercise period or (if earlier) upon the expiration of the option term, the option shall terminate and cease to be outstanding for any shares for which the option has not been exercised.

 

(ii)           The Plan Administrator shall have complete discretion, exercisable either at the time an option is granted or at any time while the option remains outstanding, to:

 

(A)          extend the period of time for which the option is to remain exercisable following the Participant’s cessation of Service from the limited exercise period otherwise in effect for that option to such greater period of time as the Plan Administrator shall deem appropriate, but in no event beyond the expiration of the option term;

 

(B)          include an automatic extension provision whereby the specified post-Service exercise period in effect for any option shall automatically be extended by an additional period of time equal in duration to any interval within the specified post-Service exercise period during which the exercise of that option or the immediate sale of the shares acquired under such option could not be effected in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws, but in no event shall such an extension result in the continuation of such option beyond the expiration date of the term of that option; and/or

 

(C)          permit the option to be exercised, during the applicable post-Service exercise period, not only with respect to the number of vested shares of Common Stock for which such option is exercisable at the time of the Participant’s cessation of Service but also with respect to one or more additional installments in which the Participant would have vested had the Participant continued in Service.

 

(e)           Repurchase Rights.  The Plan Administrator shall have the discretion to grant options which are exercisable for unvested shares of Common Stock.  Should the Participant cease Service while such shares are unvested, the Corporation shall have the right to

 

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repurchase any or all of those unvested shares at a price per share equal to the lower of (i) the exercise price paid per share or (ii) the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock at the time of repurchase.  The terms upon which such repurchase right shall be exercisable (including the period and procedure for exercise and the appropriate vesting schedule for the purchased shares) shall be established by the Plan Administrator and set forth in the document evidencing such repurchase right.

 

(f)            Incentive Options.  The terms specified below shall be applicable to all Incentive Options.  Except as modified by the provisions of this Section 2.1(f), all the provisions of the Plan shall be applicable to Incentive Options.  Options which are specifically designated as Non-Statutory Options when issued under the Plan shall not be subject to the terms of this Section 2.1(f).

 

(i)            Eligibility.  Incentive Options may only be granted to Employees.

 

(ii)           Dollar Limitation.  The aggregate Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock (determined as of the respective date or dates of grant) for which one or more options granted to any Employee under the Plan (or any other option plan of the Corporation or any Parent or Subsidiary) may for the first time become exercisable as Incentive Options during any one calendar year shall not exceed the sum of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000).

 

To the extent the Employee holds two (2) or more such options which become exercisable for the first time in the same calendar year, then for purposes of the foregoing limitations on the exercisability of those options as Incentive Options, such options shall be deemed to become first exercisable in that calendar year on the basis of the chronological order in which they were granted, except to the extent otherwise provided under applicable law or regulation.

 

(iii)          10% Stockholder.  If any Employee to whom an Incentive Option is granted is a 10% Stockholder, then the exercise price per share shall not be less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the option grant date, and the option term shall not exceed five (5) years measured from the option grant date.

 

2.2          STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

 

(a)           Authority.  The Plan Administrator shall have full power and authority, exercisable in its sole discretion, to grant stock appreciation rights evidenced by one or more Award Agreements in the form approved by the Plan Administrator; provided, however, that the terms of each such agreement shall not be inconsistent with the terms specified below.

 

(b)           Types.  Two types of stock appreciation rights shall be authorized for issuance under this Section 2.2: (i) tandem stock appreciation rights (“Tandem Rights”) and (ii) stand-alone stock appreciation rights (“Stand-alone Rights”).

 

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(c)           Tandem Rights.  The following terms and conditions shall govern the grant and exercise of Tandem Rights.

 

(i)            One or more Participants may be granted a Tandem Right, exercisable upon such terms and conditions as the Plan Administrator may establish, to elect between the exercise of the underlying option for shares of Common Stock or the surrender of that option in exchange for a distribution from the Corporation in an amount equal to the excess of (i) the Fair Market Value (on the option surrender date) of the number of shares in which the Participant is at the time vested under the surrendered option (or surrendered portion thereof) over (ii) the aggregate exercise price payable for such vested shares.

 

(ii)           Any distribution to which the Participant becomes entitled upon the exercise of a Tandem Right may be made in (i) shares of Common Stock valued at Fair Market Value on the option surrender date, (ii) cash or (iii) a combination of cash and shares of Common Stock, as specified in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

(d)           Stand-Alone Rights.  The following terms and conditions shall govern the grant and exercise of Stand-alone Rights:

 

(i)            One or more Participants may be granted a Stand-alone Right not tied to any underlying option.  The Stand-alone Right shall relate to a specified number of shares of Common Stock and shall be exercisable upon such terms and conditions as the Plan Administrator may establish.  In no event, however, may the Stand-alone Right have a maximum term in excess of ten (10) years measured from the grant date.

 

(ii)           Upon exercise of the Stand-alone Right, the holder shall be entitled to receive a distribution from the Corporation in an amount equal to the excess of (i) the aggregate Fair Market Value (on the exercise date) of the shares of Common Stock underlying the exercised right over (ii) the aggregate base price in effect for those shares.

 

(iii)          The number of shares of Common Stock underlying each Stand-alone Right and the base price in effect for those shares shall be determined by the Plan Administrator in its sole discretion at the time the Stand-alone Right is granted.  In no event, however, may the base price per share be less than the Fair Market Value per underlying share of Common Stock on the grant date.

 

(iv)          The distribution with respect to an exercised Stand-alone Right may be made in (i) shares of Common Stock valued at Fair Market Value on the exercise date, (ii) cash or (iii) a combination of cash and shares of Common Stock, as specified in the applicable Award agreement.

 

(v)           The holder of a Stand-alone Right shall have no stockholder rights with respect to the shares subject to the Stand-alone Right unless and until such person shall have exercised the Stand-alone Right and become a holder of record of the shares of Common Stock issued upon the exercise of such Stand-alone Right.

 

(e)           Post-Service Exercise.  The provisions governing the exercise of Tandem and Stand-alone Rights following the cessation of the Participant’s Service shall be substantially

 

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the same as those set forth in Section 2.1(d) for the options granted under the Plan, and the Plan Administrator’s discretionary authority under Section 2.1(d)(ii) shall also extend to any outstanding Tandem or Stand-alone Appreciation Rights.

 

2.3          STOCK AWARDS

 

(a)           Authority.  The Plan Administrator shall have full power and authority, exercisable in its sole discretion, to grant stock awards either as vested or unvested shares of Common Stock, through direct and immediate issuances.  Each stock award shall be evidenced by one or more Award Agreements in the form approved by the Plan Administrator; provided, however, that the terms of each such agreement shall not be inconsistent with the terms specified below.

 

(b)           Issue Price/Consideration.

 

Shares of Common Stock may be issued under a stock award for any of the following items of consideration which the Plan Administrator may deem appropriate in each individual instance:

 

(i)            cash or check made payable to the Corporation,

 

(ii)           past services rendered to the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary); or

 

(iii)          any other valid consideration under the State in which the Corporation is at the time incorporated.

 

However, if the consideration for the shares is to be paid in the form of a cash purchase price, then the cash consideration payable per share shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the issuance date.

 

(c)           Vesting Provisions.

 

(i)            Stock awards may, in the discretion of the Plan Administrator, be fully and immediately vested upon issuance as a bonus for Service rendered or may vest in one or more installments over the Participant’s period of Service and/or upon the attainment of specified performance objectives.  The elements of the vesting schedule applicable to any stock award shall be determined by the Plan Administrator and incorporated into the Award Agreement.

 

(ii)           Should the Participant cease to remain in Service while holding one or more unvested shares of Common Stock issued under a stock award or should the performance objectives not be attained with respect to one or more such unvested shares of Common Stock, then those shares shall be immediately surrendered to the Corporation for cancellation, and the Participant shall have no further stockholder rights with respect to those shares.  To the extent the surrendered shares were previously issued to the Participant for consideration paid in cash or cash equivalent, the Corporation shall repay to the Participant the

 

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lower of (i) the cash consideration paid for the surrendered shares or (ii) the Fair Market Value of those shares at the time of cancellation.

 

(iii)          The Plan Administrator may in its discretion waive the surrender and cancellation of one or more unvested shares of Common Stock which would otherwise occur upon the cessation of the Participant’s Service or the non-attainment of the performance objectives applicable to those shares.  Any such waiver shall result in the immediate vesting of the Participant’s interest in the shares of Common Stock as to which the waiver applies.

 

(iv)          Any new, substituted or additional securities or other property (including money paid other than as a regular cash dividend) which the Participant may have the right to receive with respect to the Participant’s unvested shares of Common Stock by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization, combination of shares, exchange of shares, spin-off transaction, extraordinary dividend or distribution or other change affecting the outstanding Common Stock as a class without the Corporation’s receipt of consideration shall be issued subject to (i) the same vesting requirements applicable to the Participant’s unvested shares of Common Stock and (ii) such escrow arrangements as the Plan Administrator shall deem appropriate, unless and to the extent the Plan Administrator determines at the time to vest and distribute such securities or other property.  Equitable adjustments to reflect each such transaction shall also be made by the Plan Administrator to the repurchase price payable per share by the Corporation for any unvested securities subject to its existing repurchase rights under the Plan; provided the aggregate repurchase price shall in each instance remain the same.

 

2.4          RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

 

(a)           Authority.  The Plan Administrator shall have the full power and authority, exercisable in its sole discretion, to grant restricted stock units evidenced by one or more Award Agreements in the form approved by the Plan Administrator; provided, however, that the terms of each such agreement shall not be inconsistent with the terms specified below.

 

(b)           Terms.  Each restricted stock unit award shall entitle the Participant to receive the shares underlying that Award (or an amount based on the value of the shares) upon vesting or upon the expiration of a designated time period following the vesting of those Awards.  Restricted stock units subject to performance vesting may also be structured so that the underlying shares are convertible into shares of Common Stock (or a payment based on the value of the shares), but the rate at which each share is to so convert shall be based on the attained level of performance for each applicable performance objective.

 

(c)           Vesting Provisions.  Restricted stock units may, in the discretion of the Plan Administrator, vest in one or more installments over the Participant’s period of Service or upon the attainment of specified performance objectives.  Outstanding restricted stock units shall automatically terminate without any payment if the performance goals or Service requirements established for those Awards are not attained or satisfied.  The Plan Administrator, however, shall have the discretionary authority to make a payment under one or more outstanding Awards of restricted stock units as to which the designated performance goals or Service requirements have not been attained or satisfied.

 

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(d)           Payment.  Restricted stock units that vest may be settled in (i) cash, (ii) shares of Common stock valued at Fair Market Value on the payment date or (iii) a combination of cash and shares of Common Stock, as determined by the Plan Administrator in its sole discretion.

 

(e)           Dividend Equivalents.  Dividend-equivalent units may be paid or credited, either in cash or in actual or phantom shares of Common Stock, on outstanding restricted stock unit awards, subject to such terms and conditions as the Plan Administrator may deem appropriate.

 

2.5          EFFECT OF CHANGE IN CONTROL

 

(a)           In the event of a Change in Control transaction, each option, stock appreciation right and restricted stock unit award outstanding at that time under the Plan but not otherwise fully vested shall automatically accelerate and vest in full, immediately prior to the effective date of that Change in Control, as to all the shares of Common Stock at the time subject to such Award, unless (i) such Award is to be assumed or substituted with an equivalent award by the successor corporation (or parent thereof) or is otherwise to continue in full force and effect pursuant to the terms of the Change in Control transaction, (ii) such Award is replaced with a cash retention program of the successor corporation that preserves the spread existing at the time of the Change in Control on the shares of Common Stock as to which the Award is not otherwise at that time vested and exercisable and provides for the subsequent vesting and payout of that spread in accordance with the same exercise/vesting schedule applicable to those shares, but only if such replacement cash program would not result in the treatment of the Award as an item of deferred compensation subject to Code Section 409A, or (iii) the acceleration of such Award is subject to other limitations imposed by the Plan Administrator at the time the Award is granted.

 

(b)           All outstanding repurchase rights shall automatically terminate, and the shares of Common Stock subject to those terminated rights shall vest in full, immediately prior to the effective date of a Change in Control transaction, except to the extent (i) those repurchase rights are to be assigned to the successor corporation (or parent thereof) or are otherwise to continue in full force and effect pursuant to the terms of the Change in Control transaction or (ii) such accelerated vesting is precluded by other limitations imposed by the Plan Administrator.

 

(c)           Immediately following the consummation of the Change in Control, all outstanding Awards shall terminate and cease to be outstanding, except to the extent assumed by the successor corporation (or parent thereof) or otherwise continued in full force and effect pursuant to the terms of the Change in Control transaction.

 

(d)           Each Award which is assumed in connection with a Change in Control or otherwise continued in effect shall be appropriately adjusted, immediately after such Change in Control, to apply to the number and class of securities into which the shares of Common Stock subject to that Award would have been converted in consummation of such Change in Control had those shares actually been outstanding at that time.  Appropriate adjustments to reflect such Change in Control shall also be made to (i) the exercise or base price or cash consideration payable per share in effect under each outstanding Award, provided the aggregate exercise or

 

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base price or cash consideration in effect for such securities shall remain the same, (ii) the maximum number and/or class of securities available for issuance over the remaining term of the Plan, (iii) the maximum number and/or class of securities for which Incentive Options may be granted under the Plan, (iv) the maximum number and/or class of securities for which any one person may be granted Awards under the Plan per calendar year and (v) the number and/or class of securities subject to the Corporation’s outstanding repurchase rights under the Plan and the repurchase price payable per share.  To the extent the actual holders of the Corporation’s outstanding Common Stock receive cash consideration for their Common Stock in consummation of the Change in Control, the successor corporation may, in connection with the assumption or continuation of the outstanding Awards under the Plan and subject to the Plan Administrator’s approval, substitute, for the securities underlying those assumed Awards, one or more shares of its own common stock with a fair market value equivalent to the cash consideration paid per share of Common Stock in such Change in Control transaction, provided such common stock is readily traded on an established U.S. securities exchange or market.

 

(e)                                  The Plan Administrator shall have the discretionary authority to structure one or more outstanding Awards so that those Awards shall, immediately prior to the effective date of a Change in Control transaction, vest as to all the shares of Common Stock at the time subject to those Awards, whether or not those Awards are to be assumed in the Change in Control transaction or otherwise continued in effect.  In addition, the Plan Administrator shall have the discretionary authority to structure one or more of the Corporation’s repurchase rights so that those rights shall terminate immediately prior to the effective date of a Change in Control transaction, and the shares subject to those terminated rights shall thereupon vest in full.

 

(f)                                   The Plan Administrator shall have full power and authority to structure one or more outstanding Awards so that those Awards shall vest as to all the shares of Common Stock at the time subject to those Awards in the event the Participant’s Service is subsequently terminated by reason of an Involuntary Termination within a designated period following the effective date of any Change in Control transaction in which those Awards do not otherwise vest on an accelerated basis.  In addition, the Plan Administrator may structure one or more of the Corporation’s repurchase rights so that those rights shall immediately terminate with respect to any shares held by the Participant at the time of such Involuntary Termination, and the shares subject to those terminated repurchase rights shall accordingly vest in full at that time.

 

(g)                                  The portion of any Incentive Option accelerated in connection with a Change in Control shall remain exercisable as an Incentive Option only to the extent the applicable One Hundred Thousand Dollar ($100,000) 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.

 

2.6                               REPRICING PROGRAMS

 

The Plan Administrator shall have the discretionary authority, exercisable on such terms and conditions that it deems appropriate under the circumstances, to (i) implement cancellation/regrant programs pursuant to which outstanding options or stock appreciation rights under the Plan are cancelled and new options or stock appreciation rights are granted in replacement with a lower exercise or base price per share, (ii) cancel outstanding options or stock

 

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appreciation rights under the Plan with exercise or base prices per share in excess of the then current Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock for consideration payable in cash or in equity securities of the Corporation or (iii) reduce the exercise or base price in effect for outstanding options or stock appreciation rights under the Plan.

 

ARTICLE 3

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

3.1                               DEFERRED COMPENSATION

 

(a)                                 The Plan Administrator may, in its sole discretion, structure one or more Awards (other than options and stock appreciation rights) so that the Participants may be provided with an election to defer the compensation associated with those Awards for federal income tax purposes.  Any such deferral opportunity shall comply with all applicable requirements of Code Section 409A.

 

(b)                                 The Plan Administrator may implement a non-employee Board member retainer fee deferral program under the Plan so as to allow the non-employee Board members the opportunity to elect, prior to the start of each calendar year, to convert the Board and Board committee retainer fees to be earned for such year into restricted stock units under the Plan that will defer the issuance of the shares of Common Stock that vest under those restricted stock units until a permissible date or event under Code Section 409A.  If such program is implemented, the Plan Administrator shall have the authority to establish such rules and procedures as it deems appropriate for the filing of such deferral elections and the designation of the permissible distribution events under Code Section 409A.

 

(c)                                  To the extent the Corporation maintains one or more separate non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements which allow the participants the opportunity to make notional investments of their deferred account balances in shares of Common Stock, the Plan Administrator may authorize the share reserve under the Plan to serve as the source of any shares of Common Stock that become payable under those deferred compensation arrangements.  In such event, the share reserve under the Plan shall be reduced on a share-for-share basis for each share of Common Stock issued under the Plan in settlement of the deferred compensation owed under those separate arrangements.

 

3.2                               TRANSFERABILITY OF AWARDS

 

The transferability of Awards granted under the Plan shall be governed by the following provisions:

 

(a)                                 Incentive Options.  During the lifetime of the Participant, Incentive Options shall be exercisable only by the Participant and shall not be assignable or transferable other than by will or the laws of inheritance following the Participant’s death.

 

(b)                                 Other Awards.  All other Awards shall be subject to the same limitation on transfer as Incentive Options, except that the Plan Administrator may structure one or more such Awards so that the Award may be assigned in whole or in part during the Participant’s lifetime to

 

13

 

one or more Family Members of the Participant or to a trust established exclusively for the Participant and/or such Family Members, to the extent such assignment is in connection with the Participant’s estate plan or pursuant to a domestic relations order.  The assigned portion of an Award may only be exercised (if applicable) by the person or persons who acquire a proprietary interest in the Award pursuant to the assignment.  The terms applicable to the assigned portion of the Award shall be the same as those in effect for the Award immediately prior to such assignment and shall be set forth in such documents issued to the assignee as the Plan Administrator may deem appropriate.

 

(c)                                  Beneficiary Designation.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Participant may, to the extent permitted by the Plan Administrator, designate one or more persons as the beneficiary or beneficiaries of some or all of his or her outstanding Awards, and those Awards shall, in accordance with such designation, automatically be transferred to such beneficiary or beneficiaries upon the Participant’s death while holding those Awards.  Such beneficiary or beneficiaries shall take the transferred Awards subject to all the terms and conditions of the applicable agreement evidencing each such transferred Award, including (without limitation) the limited time period during which the Award may be exercised (if applicable) following the Participant’s death.

 

3.3                               STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS

 

A Participant shall not have any of the rights of a stockholder with respect to shares of Common Stock covered by an Award until the Participant becomes the holder of record of such shares.  However, a Participant may be granted the right to receive dividend equivalents under Section 2.4(e) with respect to one or more outstanding restricted stock unit awards.

 

3.4                               TAX WITHHOLDING

 

(a)                                 The Corporation’s obligation to deliver shares of Common Stock upon the exercise, issuance or vesting of an Award under the Plan shall be subject to the satisfaction of all applicable tax withholding requirements.

 

(b)                                 The Plan Administrator may, in its discretion, provide Participants to whom Awards are made under the Plan with the right to use shares of Common Stock in satisfaction of all or part of the Withholding Taxes to which such holders may become subject in connection with the issuance, exercise, vesting or settlement of those Awards or the issuance of shares of Common Stock thereunder.  Such right may be provided to any such holder in either or both of the following formats:

 

(i)                                     Stock Withholding: The election to have the Corporation withhold, from the shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable upon the issuance, exercise, vesting or settlement of such Award or the issuance of shares of Common Stock thereunder, a portion of those shares with an aggregate Fair Market Value at the time of delivery equal to the percentage of the Withholding Taxes (not to exceed one hundred percent (100%)) designated by such individual.  The shares of Common Stock so withheld shall not reduce the number of shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance under the Plan.

 

14

 

(ii)                                  Stock Delivery: The election to deliver to the Corporation, at the time of the issuance, exercise, vesting or settlement of such Award, one or more shares of Common Stock previously acquired by such individual (other than in connection with the exercise, share issuance or share vesting triggering the Withholding Taxes) with an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the percentage of the Withholding Taxes (not to exceed one hundred percent (100%)) designated by the individual.  The shares of Common Stock so delivered shall neither reduce the number of shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance under the Plan nor be added to the number of shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance under the Plan.

 

3.5                               SHARE ESCROW/LEGENDS

 

Unvested shares may, in the Plan Administrator’s discretion, be held in escrow by the Corporation until the Participant’s interest in such shares vests or may be issued directly to the Participant with restrictive legends on the certificates evidencing those unvested shares.

 

3.6                               EFFECTIVE DATE AND TERM OF THE PLAN

 

(a)                                 The Plan shall become effective on the Plan Effective Date.

 

(b)                                 The Plan shall terminate upon the earliest to occur of (i) December 19, 2023, (ii) the date on which all shares available for issuance under the Plan shall have been issued as fully vested shares or (iii) the termination of all outstanding Awards in connection with a Change in Control.  Should the Plan terminate on December 19, 2023, then all Awards outstanding at that time shall continue to have force and effect in accordance with the provisions of the documents evidencing those Awards.

 

3.7                               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, subject to stockholder approval to the extent required under applicable law or regulation or pursuant to the listing standards of the Stock Exchange on which the Common Stock is at the time primarily traded.  However, no such amendment or modification shall adversely affect the rights and obligations with respect to Awards at the time outstanding under the Plan unless the Participant consents to such amendment or modification.

 

(b)                                 The Compensation Committee shall have the discretionary authority to adopt and implement from time to time such addenda or subplans to the Plan as it may deem necessary in order to bring the Plan into compliance with applicable laws and regulations of any foreign jurisdictions in which Awards are to be made under the Plan and/or to obtain favorable tax treatment in those foreign jurisdictions for the individuals to whom the Awards are made.

 

(c)                                  Awards may be made under the Plan that involve shares of Common Stock in excess of the number of shares then available for issuance under the Plan, provided no shares shall actually be issued pursuant to those Awards until the number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan is sufficiently increased by stockholder approval of an amendment of the Plan authorizing such increase.  If such stockholder approval is not

 

15

 

obtained within twelve (12) months after the date the first excess Award is made, then all Awards granted on the basis of such excess shares shall terminate and cease to be outstanding.

 

3.8                               USE OF PROCEEDS

 

Any cash proceeds received by the Corporation from the sale of shares of Common Stock under the Plan shall be used for general corporate purposes.

 

3.9                               REGULATORY APPROVALS

 

(a)                                 The implementation of the Plan, the granting of any Award under the Plan and the issuance of any shares of Common Stock in connection with the issuance, exercise, vesting or settlement of any Award under the Plan shall be subject to the Corporation’s procurement of all approvals and permits required by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over the Plan, the Awards made under the Plan and the shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to those Awards.

 

(b)                                 No shares of Common Stock or other assets shall be issued or delivered under the Plan unless and until there shall have been compliance with all applicable requirements of applicable securities laws, and all applicable listing requirements of any Stock Exchange on which Common Stock is then listed for trading.

 

3.10                        NO EMPLOYMENT/SERVICE RIGHTS

 

Nothing in the Plan shall confer upon the Participant any right to continue in Service 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 employing or retaining such person) or of the Participant, which rights are hereby expressly reserved by each, to terminate such person’s Service at any time for any reason, with or without cause.

 

3.11                        RECOUPMENT

 

Participants shall be subject to any clawback, recoupment or other similar policy adopted by the Board as in effect from time to time and Awards and any cash, shares of Common Stock or other property or amounts due, paid or issued to a Participant shall be subject to the terms of such policy, as in effect from time to time.

 

16

 

APPENDIX

 

The following definitions shall be in effect under the Plan:

 

(a)                                 Award shall mean any of the following awards authorized for issuance or grant under the Plan: options, stock appreciation rights, stock awards and restricted stock units.

 

(b)                                 Award Agreement shall mean the written agreement(s) between the Corporation and the Participant evidencing a particular Award made to that individual under the Plan, as such agreement(s) may be in effect from time to time.

 

(c)                                  Board shall mean the Corporation’s Board of Directors.

 

(d)                                 Change in Control shall, with respect to each Award made under the Plan, be defined in accordance with the following provisions:

 

(i)                                     Change in Control shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Award Agreement for the particular Award or in any other agreement incorporated by reference into the Award Agreement for purposes of defining such term.

 

(ii)                                  In the absence of any other Change in Control definition in the Award Agreement (or in any other agreement incorporated by reference into the Award Agreement), Change in Control shall mean a change in ownership or control of the Corporation effected through any of the following transactions:

 

(A)                               a merger, consolidation or other reorganization approved by the Corporation’s stockholders, unless securities representing at least fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the voting securities of the successor corporation are immediately thereafter beneficially owned, directly or indirectly and in substantially the same proportion, by the persons who beneficially owned the Corporation’s outstanding voting securities immediately prior to such transaction,

 

(B)                               a sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s assets, or

 

(C)                               the closing of any transaction or series of related transactions pursuant to which any person or any group of persons comprising a “group” within the meaning of Rule 13d-5(b)(1) of the 1934 Act (other than the Corporation or a person that, prior to such transaction or series of related transactions, directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Corporation) becomes directly or indirectly (whether as a result of a single acquisition or by reason of one or more acquisitions within the twelve (12)-month period ending with the most recent acquisition) the beneficial owner (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the 1934 Act) of securities possessing (or convertible into or exercisable for securities possessing) more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Corporation’s securities (as measured in terms of the power to vote with respect to the election of Board members) outstanding immediately after the consummation of such transaction or series of related transactions, whether such transaction involves a direct issuance

 

A-1

 

from the Corporation or the acquisition of outstanding securities held by one or more of the Corporation’s existing stockholders.

 

(D)                               a change in the composition of the Board over a period of twelve (12) consecutive months or less such that a majority of the Board members ceases to be comprised of individuals who either (A) have been Board members continuously since the beginning of such period (“Incumbent Directors”) or (B) have been elected or nominated for election as Board members during such period by at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors who were still in office at the time the Board approved such election or nomination; provided that any individual who becomes a Board member subsequent to the beginning of such period and whose election or nomination was approved by two-thirds of the Board members then comprising the Incumbent Directors will be considered an Incumbent Director.

 

(e)                                  Code shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

(f)                                   Common Stock shall mean the Corporation’s Common Stock.

 

(g)                                  Compensation Committee shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board comprised of two (2) or more non-employee Board members, each of whom is intended to qualify as a “non-employee director” (as defined in Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act), an “outside director” for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code and an “independent director” under the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Common Stock is then listed, quoted or traded; provided that any action taken by the Compensation Committee shall be valid and effective, whether or not one or more members of the Compensation Committee at the time of such action are later determined not to have satisfied the requirements for membership set forth in this definition or otherwise provided in the charter of the Compensation Committee.

 

(h)                                 Corporation shall mean Minerva Neurosciences, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and any corporate successor to all or substantially all of the assets or voting stock of Minerva Neurosciences, Inc. which has by appropriate action assumed the Plan.

 

(i)                                     Employee shall mean an individual who is in the employ of the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary, whether now existing or subsequently established), 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.

 

(j)                                    Exercise Date shall mean the date on which the Corporation shall have received written notice of the option exercise.

 

(k)                                 Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on any relevant date shall be determined in accordance with the following provisions:

 

(i)                                     If the Common stock is at the time traded on a Stock Exchange, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling price per share of Common Stock at the close of regular hours trading (i.e., before after-hours trading begins) on date in question on the Stock Exchange serving as the primary market for the Common Stock, as such price is reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers (if primarily traded on the Nasdaq Global or

 

A-2

 

Global Select Market) or as officially quoted in the composite tape of transactions on any other Stock Exchange on which the Common Stock is then primarily traded.  If there is no closing selling price for the Common Stock on the date in question, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling price on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists.

 

(ii)                                  For purposes of option grants made on the Underwriting Date, the Fair Market Value shall be deemed to be equal to the established initial public offering price per share.  For purposes of option grants made prior to such date, the Fair Market Value shall be determined by the Plan Administrator through the reasonable application of a reasonable valuation method that takes into account the applicable valuation factors set forth in the Treasury Regulations issued under Section 409A of the Code; provided, however, that with respect to an Incentive Option, such Fair Market Value shall be determined in accordance with the standards of Section 422 of the Code and the applicable Treasury Regulations thereunder.

 

(l)                                     Family Member shall mean, with respect to a particular Participant, any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law or sister-in-law.

 

(m)                             Good Reason shall, with respect to each Award made under the Plan, be defined in accordance with the following provisions:

 

(i)                                     Good Reason shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Award Agreement for the particular Award or in any other agreement incorporated by reference into the Award Agreement for purposes of defining such term.

 

(ii)                                  In the absence of any other Good Reason definition in the Award Agreement (or in any other agreement incorporated by reference into the Award Agreement), Good Reason shall mean an individual’s voluntary resignation following (A) a change in his or her position with the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary) which materially reduces his or her duties, responsibilities or authority, (B) a material diminution in the duties, responsibilities or authority of the person to whom such individual reports, (C) a material reduction in such individual’s level of base compensation, with a reduction of more than fifteen percent (15%) to be deemed material for such purpose, or (D) a material relocation of such individual’s place of employment, with a relocation of more than fifty (50) miles to be deemed material for such purpose, provided, however, that a resignation for Good Reason may be effected only after (i) the individual provides written notice to the Corporation of the event or transaction constituting grounds for such resignation within sixty (60) days after the occurrence of that event or transaction and (ii) the Corporation fails to take the requisite remedial action with respect to such event or transaction within thirty (30) days after receipt of such notice.

 

(n)                                 Incentive Option shall mean an option which satisfies the requirements of Code Section 422.

 

A-3

 

(o)                                 Involuntary Termination shall, with respect to each Award made under the Plan, be defined in accordance with the following provisions:

 

(i)                                     Involuntary Termination shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Award Agreement for the particular Award or in any other agreement incorporated by reference into the Award Agreement for purposes of defining such term.

 

(ii)                                  In the absence of any other Involuntary Termination definition in the Award Agreement (or in any other agreement incorporated by reference into the Award Agreement), Involuntary Termination shall mean such individual’s involuntary dismissal or discharge by the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary) for reasons other than Misconduct, or such individual’s voluntary resignation for Good Reason.

 

(p)                                 Misconduct shall, with respect to each Award made under the Plan, be defined in accordance with the following provisions:

 

(i)                                     Misconduct shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Award Agreement for the particular Award or in any other agreement incorporated by reference into the Award Agreement for purposes of defining such term.

 

(ii)                                  In the absence of any other Misconduct definition in the Award Agreement for a particular Award (or in any other agreement incorporated by reference into the Award Agreement), Misconduct shall mean the commission of any act of fraud, embezzlement or dishonesty by the Participant, any unauthorized use or disclosure by such person of confidential information or trade secrets of the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary), or any other intentional misconduct by such person adversely affecting the business or affairs of the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary) in a material manner.  The foregoing definition shall not in any way preclude or restrict the right of the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary) to discharge or dismiss any Participant or other person in the Service of the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary) for any other acts or omissions, but such other acts or omissions shall not be deemed, for purposes of the Plan, to constitute grounds for termination for Misconduct.

 

(q)                                 1934 Act shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

(r)                                    Non-Statutory Option shall mean an option not an Incentive Option.

 

(s)                                   Parent shall mean any corporation (other than the Corporation) in an unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Corporation, provided each 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.

 

(t)                                    Participant shall mean any person who is granted an Award under the Plan.

 

(u)                                 Permanent Disability shall mean the inability of the Participant to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental

 

A-4

 

impairment expected to result in death or to be of continuous duration of twelve (12) months or more.

 

(v)                                 Plan shall mean the Corporation’s 2013 Equity Incentive Plan, as set forth in this document.

 

(w)                               Plan Administrator shall mean the particular entity, whether the Compensation Committee, the Board, the Secondary Board Committee or any delegate of the Board or the Compensation Committee authorized to administer the Plan with respect to one or more classes of eligible persons, to the extent such entity is carrying out its administrative functions under the Plan with respect to the persons under its jurisdiction.

 

(x)                                 Plan Effective Date shall mean the date upon which the Plan was approved by the Board.

 

(y)                                 Secondary Board Committee shall mean a committee of one or more Board members appointed by the Board to administer the Plan with respect to eligible persons other than Section 16 Insiders.

 

(z)                                  Section 16 Insider shall mean an officer or director of the Corporation subject to the short-swing profit liabilities of Section 16 of the 1934 Act.

 

(aa)                          Service shall, with respect to each Award made under the Plan, be defined in accordance with the following provisions:

 

(i)                                     Service shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Award Agreement for the particular Award or in any other agreement incorporated by reference into the Award Agreement for purposes of defining such term.

 

(ii)                                  In the absence of any other definition of Service in the Award Agreement for a particular Award (or in any other agreement incorporated by reference into the Award Agreement), Service shall mean the performance of services for the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary, whether now existing or subsequently established) by a person in the capacity of an Employee, a non-employee member of the board of directors or a consultant or independent advisor, except to the extent otherwise specifically provided in the documents evidencing the option grant or stock issuance.  For purposes of this particular definition of Service, a Participant shall be deemed to cease Service immediately upon the occurrence of the either of the following events: (i) the Participant no longer performs services in any of the foregoing capacities for the Corporation or any Parent or Subsidiary or (ii) the entity for which the Participant is performing such services ceases to remain a Parent or Subsidiary of the Corporation, even though the Participant may subsequently continue to perform services for that entity.

 

(iii)                               Service shall not be deemed to cease during a period of military leave, sick leave or other personal leave approved by the Corporation; provided, however, that should such leave of absence exceed three (3) months, then for purposes of determining the period within which an Incentive Option may be exercised as such under the federal tax laws, the Participant’s Service shall be deemed to cease on the first day immediately following the

 

A-5

 

expiration of such three (3)-month period, unless Participant is provided with the right to return to Service following such leave either by statute or by written contract.  Except to the extent otherwise required by law or expressly authorized by the Plan Administrator or by the Corporation’s written policy on leaves of absence, no Service credit shall be given for vesting purposes for any period the Participant is on a leave of absence.

 

(bb)                          Stock Exchange shall mean the American Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Global or Global Select Market or the New York Stock Exchange.

 

(cc)                            Subsidiary shall mean any corporation (other than the Corporation) in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Corporation, provided each 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.

 

(dd)                          10% Stockholder shall mean the owner of stock (as determined under Code Section 424(d)) possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary).

 

(ee)                            Underwriting Agreement shall mean the agreement between the Corporation and the underwriter or underwriters managing the initial public offering of the Common Stock.

 

(ff)                              Underwriting Date shall mean the date on which the Underwriting Agreement is executed and priced in connection with the initial public offering of the Common Stock.

 

(gg)                            Withholding Taxes shall mean the applicable federal, state and foreign income and employment withholding taxes and other payments to which the holder of an Award under the Plan may become subject in connection with the issuance, exercise, vesting or settlement of that Award.

 

A-6Exhibit 10.26

 

LOAN AGREEMENT

(the “AGREEMENT”)

 

made as of April 30, 2014

 

by and among

 

	
Index   Ventures V (Jersey), L.P.
    	
 
    
	
Ogier House, The Esplande,
    	
 
    
	
St. Helier, Jersey, JE4 9WG,
    	
 
    
	
Channel Islands
    	
(“Index   V”)
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Index   Ventures V Parallel Entrepreneur Fund (Jersey), L.P.
    	
 
    
	
Ogier House, The Esplande
    	
 
    
	
St. Helier, Jersey, JE4 9WG
    	
 
    
	
Channel Islands
    	
(“Index   V Parallel”)
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Yucca   (Jersey), SLP
    	
 
    
	
Ogier House, The Esplande
    	
 
    
	
St. Helier, Jersey, JE4 9WG
    	
 
    
	
Channel Islands
    	
(“Yucca”)
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Limburgse Reconversiemaatschappij   NV
    	
 
    
	
Kempische Steenweg 555
    	
 
    
	
3500 Hasselt, Belgium
    	
(“LRM”)
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
KMOFIN   2 NV
    	
 
    
	
Kempische Steenweg 555
    	
 
    
	
3500 Hasselt, Belgium
    	
(“KMOFIN”)
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
(Index   V, Index Parallel V, Yucca, LRM, and KMOFIN, each a “Lender” and, together, the “Lenders”).
    
	
 
    
	
and
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Minerva   Neurosciences, Inc.
    	
 
    
	
245 First Street, Suite 1800,
    	
 
    
	
Cambridge, MA 02142
    	
 
    
	
United States of America
    	
(“Minerva”)
    

 

1

 

WHEREAS, the Lenders, who are at the same time shareholders of Minerva, a Delaware corporation, desire to grant Minerva a loan facility for the financing of its net working capital in the total amount of up to maximum USD 600’000, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, the Parties agree as follows:

 

1.                                     DEFINITIONS

 

1.1                              In this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires, each of the following expressions has the meaning defined next to it:

 

“Affiliate” of an entity means any company Controlling, Controlled by, or under common Control of the entity and any individual Controlling such entity.

 

“Business Day” means a day except a Saturday or Sunday, on which banks in Geneva, Switzerland are open for business generally.

 

“Control”, “Controlled” and “Controlling” means when an entity or a person is able to exercise significant influence over the financial and/or operating policies of a company.

 

1.2                              In this Agreement:

 

(a)                                headings are for convenience only and shall not affect its interpretation;

 

(b)                                references to Clauses are to be construed as references to the Clauses of this Agreement;

 

(c)                                 references to (or to any specified provision of) this Agreement shall be construed as a reference to this Agreement or that provision as in force for the time being and as amended from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof;

 

(d)                                words denoting the singular number shall include the plural and vice versa; and

 

(e)                                 references to persons shall include individuals, corporations (where incorporated), unincorporated associations (including partnerships), trusts, any form of governmental body, agency or authority and any other organisation of any nature (in each case, whether or not having separate legal personality).

 

2.                                     LOAN

 

2.1                              Loan Amount

 

Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, including Section 3.3, the Lenders grant to Minerva a loan (the “Loan”) in the aggregate amount of up to USD 600,000 (the “Loan Amount”).

 

The allocation of the Loan between the Lenders shall be as follows:

 

2

 

	
Lender
    	
 
    	
Participation
    	
 
    	
Individual Loan Amount
    	
 
    
	
Index V
    	
 
    	
48.978
    	
%
    	
USD
    	
293,870
    	
 
    
	
Index V Parallel
    	
 
    	
0.397
    	
%
    	
USD
    	
2,380
    	
 
    
	
Yucca
    	
 
    	
0.625
    	
%
    	
USD
    	
3,750
    	
 
    
	
Limburgse
    	
 
    	
33   1/3
    	
%
    	
USD
    	
200,000
    	
 
    
	
KMOFIN
    	
 
    	
16   2/3
    	
%
    	
USD
    	
100,000
    	
 
    

 

For purposes of clarity, the above Loan is granted by each of the Lenders for its individual portion of the Loan Amount and not on a joint and several basis for the entire Loan.

 

2.2                               Payment of Loan Amount

 

The Loan shall be made available by the Lenders as of the Effective Date and must be paid (i) USD 250,000 as of the Effective Date, (ii) USD 250,000 once called by Minerva within 10 Business Days and (iii) USD 100,000 once called by Minerva within 10 Business Days.

 

3.                                     LENDER’S OBLIGATIONS

 

The Lenders undertakes pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement to participate with the amount specified above in Section 2.1. Each Lender shall be only liable for his pro rata amount and not jointly for the entire Loan Amount.

 

4.                                     INTEREST

 

The amount outstanding under the Loan (the “Outstanding Loan Amount”) shall bear interest at the rate of eight percent (8%) per annum, compounded annually, calculated for each year (or fraction thereof) (the “Interest Period”) from the respective date on which such part of the Outstanding Loan Amount is received by Minerva, until the Repayment Date (as defined below). Interest shall accrue and be added to the Outstanding Loan Amount at the end of each Interest Period.

 

5.                                     REPAYMENT

 

5.1                              The outstanding Loan Amounts shall become due for repayment on the earlier of (each a “Repayment Date”):

 

(a)                                The closing of Minerva’s initial public offering of common stock, par value $0.0001,(the “IPO”); or

 

(b)                                1 December 2015; or

 

(c)                                 at any time Minerva voluntarily decides to repay the Loan (or part thereof); or

 

(d)                                the Business Day following the occurrence of an Event of Default as set forth in Section 6 below.

 

In case of partial repayment of the Outstanding Loan Amount, this Section 5 shall remain applicable for the remaining Outstanding Loan Amount.

 

3

 

6.                                     EVENTS OF DEFAULT

 

6.1                              Events of Default

 

Each of the events set out in this Section is an Event of Default (whether or not caused by reason whatsoever outside the control of the Borrower):

 

a)                                     Minerva’s failure to pay any amount of principal or interest on the Loan when due, or any fees or expenses due and payable under this Agreement, and such failure(s) shall continue un-remedied for 10 Business Days;

 

b)                                     Minerva shall fail to observe and adhere to any of the terms of this Agreement (subject to any applicable cure periods); or

 

c)                                      Minerva’s senior lenders or other third party lenders shall have accelerated the loans or any other obligations outstanding under their credit facilities with Minerva (cross default); or

 

d)                                      bankruptcy, liquidation or dissolution proceedings of Minerva have been initiated.

 

6.2                              Default Interest Rate

 

Upon the occurrence, and during the continuation of an Event of Default, the outstanding amount of the Loan shall bear, in addition to the base interest pursuant to Section 4, default additional interest at a rate of 3 % (three percent) per annum.

 

6.3                              Declaration of Maturity and Repayment

 

Upon an Event of Default, each Lender may declare its outstanding portion of the Loan to be immediately due and payable in cash, and exercise any and all rights and remedies available to the Lender under the applicable laws.

 

7.                                     GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

7.1                              Confidentiality

 

The Parties expressly acknowledge and agree that this Agreement and its terms and all information, whether written or oral, furnished by either Party to the other Party in connection with the preparation and negotiation of this Agreement are confidential and shall not be disclosed except as otherwise agreed in advanced by each of the Parties.

 

7.2                              Effective Date

 

This Agreement shall become effective upon receipt by the Borrower of the originals or electronic copies of all signatures of the Parties hereto.

 

7.3                              Costs and Expenses

 

Each Party shall pay the cost and expenses it incurs.

 

7.4                              Notices

 

Any notices between the parties shall be sent by registered mail or pre-paid express courier service to the addresses listed on top of this Amendment or such other ad-dress as the addressee shall have specified in a notice actually received by the ad-dressor. Notices can be validly transmitted by telefax

 

4

 

provided that a confirmation copy shall be sent by registered mail or pre-paid express courier service at the same time.

 

7.5                              No Waiver

 

The failure of any Party to enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement or any rights with respect thereto shall in no way be considered as a waiver of such provisions or rights or in any way to affect the validity of this Agreement. The waiver of any breach of this Agreement by any Party hereto shall not be construed as a waiver of any other prior or subsequent breach.

 

7.6                              Entire Agreement

 

This Agreement and the instruments referred to herein embodies the entire agreement between the Parties hereto with respect to the Loan contemplated herein. This Agreement may be amended only in writing through a document signed by the Parties hereto.

 

7.7                              Severability

 

Should any provision of this Agreement turn out to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the remaining provisions have to be regarded as severable and enforceable in accordance with their terms. The Parties shall replace the partly or entirely invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions by provisions which are as similar as possible and correspond to the economic intent and purpose of such partly or entirely invalid or impractical provision and are valid and enforceable.

 

7.8                              Amendments or Waivers

 

This Agreement may be amended only in writing through a document duly signed by all Parties and any waivers to this Agreement require prior written approval of all Parties hereto.

 

7.9                             Transfers or Assignments

 

No Party shall transfer the Loan or assign any of its rights or obligations under the Loan or under this Agreement to any third party without the prior written consent of all the other Parties.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Party shall enter into any arrangement with any other person, as a result of which Swiss stamp duties and withholding tax on interest payments could be triggered. The Parties agree and shall procure that during the term of this Agreement, the Borrower shall at no time be the recipient of loans or other debt capital (including the Loan) from: (i) more than ten creditors (other than qualifying banks as per the relevant Guidelines of the Swiss Federal Tax Authorities) on identical terms under this Agreement, or (ii) more than twenty creditors (other than qualifying banks as per the relevant Guidelines of the Swiss Federal Tax Authorities) in total. Except that each Lender may assign its rights and obligations under this Agreement to the ultimate holders of such Lender.

 

For the purpose of this clause each Lender confirms that it is a single creditor for the purpose to the Swiss non-bank rules according to the Guidelines.

 

7.10                       Governing Law

 

This Agreement and any questions related thereto shall be subject to the laws of Switzerland excluding its conflict of law rules.

 

7.11                       Arbitration

 

Any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or in relation to this Agreement, including the validity, invalidity, breach or termination thereof, shall be settled by arbitration, in accordance with the

 

5

 

rules of the International Chamber of Commerce in force on the date when the notice of arbitration is submitted in accordance with such rules. The number of arbitrators shall be three. The seat of the arbitration shall be in London, England. The arbitral proceedings shall be conducted in English.

 

[Signature Page to Follow]

 

6

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date and year first above written.

 

 

	
 
    	
MINERVA   NEUROSCIENCES, INC.
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
/s/ Rogerio Vivaldi Coelho
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Rogerio Vivaldi   Coelho, MD, MBA
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Co-Founder,   President & CEO
    
	
 
    	
Place, Date:
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    

 

Signature Page to Loan Agreement

 

 

	
 
    	
INDEX   VENTURES V (JERSEY), L.P.
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
Its Managing   General Partner:
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Index Venture   Associates V Limited
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Paul Willing
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Paul Willing 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Director
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Place, Date:
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
INDEX   VENTURES V PARALLEL ENTREPRENEUR FUND (JERSEY), L.P.
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
Its Managing   General Partner:
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Index Venture   Associates V Limited
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Paul Willing
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Paul Willing 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Director
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Place, Date:
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    

 

Signature Page to Loan Agreement

 

 

	
 
    	
YUCCA   (JERSEY) SLP
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:  Ogier Employee Benefit Services Limited as   Authorised Signatory of Yucca (Jersey) SLP in its capacity as administrator   of the Index Co-Investment Scheme
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Giles   Johnstone-Scott  /s/ Sherin Sugeeswaran
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Giles   Johnstone-Scott and Sherin Sugeeswaran
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Authorised   Signatory — Ogier Employee
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Benefits Services   Limited
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Place, Date:
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    

 

Signature Page to Loan Agreement

 

 

	
 
    	
LIMBURGSE   RECONVERSIEMAATSCHAPPIJ NV
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Stijn Bijnens
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Stijn Bijnens
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title:
    	
CEO
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Place, Date:  30-04-2014
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
KMOFIN   2 NV
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Stijn Bijnens
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name:
    	
LRM NVC   represented by Stijn Bijnens
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Daily Manager
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Place, Date:   30-04-2014
    

 

Signature Page to Loan Agreement

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