Document:

Exhibit 4.5

 

	
 
    

 

FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL AND CO-SALE AGREEMENT

 

BY AND BETWEEN

 

ADAGENE INC.

 

NON-INVESTOR SHAREHOLDERS

 

AND

 

INVESTORS NAMED HEREIN

 

DECEMBER 19, 2019

 

	
 
    

 

 

Table of Contents

 

	
1.
    	
Definitions
    	
2
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
1.1
    	
Definitions
    	
2
    
	
1.2
    	
Other Defined Terms
    	
7
    
	
1.3
    	
Interpretation
    	
7
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
2.
    	
Restriction on Transfers; Rights of First   Refusal and Co-Sale Rights
    	
8
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
2.1
    	
Restriction on Transfers
    	
8
    
	
2.2
    	
Rights of First Refusal
    	
9
    
	
2.3
    	
Right of Co-Sale
    	
11
    
	
2.4
    	
Non-Exercise of Rights
    	
12
    
	
2.5
    	
Limitations to Rights of First Refusal and Co-Sale
    	
13
    
	
2.6
    	
Legend
    	
14
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
3.
    	
Drag-Along Rights
    	
14
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
4.
    	
Miscellaneous
    	
15
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
4.1
    	
Termination
    	
15
    
	
4.2
    	
Further Assurances
    	
15
    
	
4.3
    	
Assignments and Transfers; No Third Party   Beneficiaries
    	
15
    
	
4.4
    	
Governing Law
    	
15
    
	
4.5
    	
Dispute Resolution
    	
16
    
	
4.6
    	
Notices
    	
16
    
	
4.7
    	
Expenses
    	
17
    
	
4.8
    	
Rights Cumulative; Specific Performance
    	
17
    
	
4.9
    	
Severability
    	
17
    
	
4.10
    	
Amendments and Waivers
    	
17
    
	
4.11
    	
No Waiver
    	
18
    
	
4.12
    	
Delays or Omissions
    	
18
    
	
4.13
    	
No Presumption
    	
18
    
	
4.14
    	
Counterparts
    	
18
    
	
4.15
    	
Entire Agreement
    	
18
    
	
4.16
    	
Amendment and Restatement of Prior Agreement
    	
19
    
	
4.17
    	
Agreement Controlling
    	
19
    
	
4.18
    	
Aggregation of Shares
    	
19
    
	
4.19
    	
Use of English Language
    	
19
    
	
4.20
    	
Effective Date
    	
19
    
	
4.21
    	
“Market Stand-Off” Agreement
    	
19
    
	
4.22
    	
Additional Parties
    	
20
    

 

SCHEDULE A – LIST OF NON-INVESTOR SHAREHOLDERS 

 

SCHEDULE B – LIST OF INVESTORS

 

SCHEDULE C – LIST OF COMPETITORS

 

 

FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL AND CO- SALE AGREEMENT

 

THIS FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL AND CO-SALE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is entered into on December 19, 2019, by and among:

 

1.                                      Adagene Inc., an exempted company organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “Company”),

 

2.                                      Each of the Persons named on Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Non-Investor Shareholders”, and each a “Non-Investor Shareholder”), and

 

3.                                      each of the Persons listed in Schedule B attached hereto (collectively, the “Investors”, and each an “Investor”).

 

Each of the parties to this Agreement is referred to herein individually as a “Party” and collectively as the “Parties”. Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings set forth in the Restated Shareholders Agreement.

 

RECITALS

 

A.                                    The Company holds 100% of the issued and outstanding share capital of Adagene (Hong Kong) Limited (天演藥業(香港)有限公司), a company organized under the laws of Hong Kong (the “Holdco Subsidiary”), which holds an interest in 100% of the registered capital of Adagene (Suzhou) Limited (天演药业(苏州)有限公司), a company organized under the laws of the PRC (the “WFOE”). The Company also holds 100% issued and outstanding shares of Adagene Incorporated, a company organized under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “US Subsidiary”), which holds 100% issued and outstanding shares of ADAGENE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, a company incorporated and organized under the laws of Australia (the “Australian Subsidiary”).

 

B.                                    Certain Investor has agreed to purchase from the Company certain Series C-3 Preferred Shares pursuant to that certain Share Purchase Agreement dated October 15, 2019 by and among the Company and such Investor (the “Share Purchase Agreement”).

 

C.                                    The Share Purchase Agreement provides that it is a condition precedent to the consummation of the transactions contemplated under the Share Purchase Agreement that the Parties enter into this Agreement.

 

D.                                    The Company, the Founder, and certain other parties entered into a Third Amended and Restated Right of First Refusal and Co-Sale Agreement on June 12, 2019 (the “Prior Agreement”), and the Parties hereof desire to enter into this Agreement to terminate, supersede and restate the Prior Agreement in its entirety.

 

E.                                     The Parties desire to enter into this Agreement and make the respective representations, warranties, covenants and agreements set forth herein on the terms and conditions set forth herein.

 

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WITNESSETH

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing recitals, the mutual promises hereinafter set forth, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties intending to be legally bound hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

1.                                      Definitions.

 

1.1                               Definitions. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them below:

 

“Affiliate” means, (i) with respect to a Person that is a natural person, such Person’s Relatives and any Person Controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or his/her Relatives, and (ii) with respect to a Person that is not a natural person, any Person which, directly or indirectly, Controls, is Controlled by or is under common Control with such Person, including, without limitation any member, managing member, general partner, limited partner, officer, employee, trustee or director of such Person or any trust for the benefit of any of the foregoing or any Affiliate of the foregoing and any venture capital fund now or hereafter existing which is Controlled by or under common Control with one or more general partners or shares the same management company with such Person. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Parties acknowledge and agree that (a) the name “Sequoia Capital” is commonly used to describe a variety of entities (collectively, the “Sequoia Entities”) that are affiliated by ownership or operational relationship and engaged in a broad range of activities related to investing and securities trading and (b) notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, this Agreement shall not be binding on, or restrict the activities of, any (i) Sequoia Entity outside of the Sequoia China Sector Group, (ii) entity primarily engaged in investment and trading in the secondary securities market; (iii) the ultimate beneficial owner of an Sequoia Entity (or its general partner or ultimate general partner) who is a natural Person, and such Person’s relatives (including but without limitation, such Person’s spouse, parents, children, siblings, mother-in-law and father-in-law and brothers and sisters-in-law), (iv) any officer, director or employee of a Sequoia Entity (or its general partner or ultimate general partner) and such Person’s relatives, and (v) for the avoidance of doubt, any portfolio companies of any Sequoia Entity and portfolio companies of any affiliated investment fund or investment vehicle of any Sequoia Entity. For purposes of the foregoing, the “Sequoia China Sector Group” means all Sequoia Entities (whether currently existing or formed in the future) that are principally focused on companies located in, or with connections to, the People’s Republic of China that are exclusively managed by Sequoia Capital. For the avoidance of doubt, each of SCC Venture VI Holdco, Ltd. and Gopher Harvest Co-Investment Fund LP shall be deemed as an Affiliate of each other. For the avoidance of doubt, with respect to Asia Ventures II L.P. and F-Prime Capital Partners Healthcare Fund III LP, an Affiliate means (1) Eight Roads Holdings Limited (“ERHL”), a company incorporated in Bermuda, and any parent or subsidiary undertaking of, or entity under common control, with ERHL from time to time (ERHL and its subsidiary undertakings being the “ERHL Group”); (2) FIL Limited (“FIL”), a company incorporated in Bermuda, and any subsidiary undertaking of FIL from time to time (FIL and its subsidiary undertakings being the “FIL Group”); (3) FMR LLC (“FMR”), a Delaware corporation, and any subsidiary undertaking of FMR from time to time (FMR and its subsidiary undertakings being the “FMR Group”); (4) any director, officer, employee or shareholder of the ERHL Group, the FIL Group and/or the FMR Group or members of his family and any company, trust, partnership or other entity formed for his or any of their benefit from time to time (any or all of such individuals and entities being the “Closely Related Shareholders”); (5) any entity controlled by Closely Related Shareholders where control shall mean the power to direct the management and policies or appoint or remove members of the board of directors or other governing body of the entity, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, contract or otherwise, and controlled shall be construed accordingly; (6) any affiliate of any member of the ERHL Group, the FIL Group and/or the FMR Group (where “affiliate”, for the purposes of this provision only, means (a) any entity controlled by any combination of any Closely Related Shareholders and, for purposes of this provision only, any member of the ERHL Group, the FIL Group and/or the FMR Group, and (b) the officers, partners and directors of any affiliate); and (7) any fund in which any member of the ERHL Group, the FIL Group and/or the FMR Group or any Closely Related Shareholder is a partner. For the avoidance of doubt, with respect to General Atlantic Singapore AI Pte. Ltd., “Affiliate” also includes (i) any direct or indirect shareholder of General Atlantic Singapore AI Pte. Ltd., (ii) any of such shareholder’s general partners, (iii) the fund manager managing such shareholder (and general partners, and officers thereof) and (iv) trusts controlled by or for the benefit of any natural person referred to in (ii) or (iii) above; provided that in no event shall any portfolio company owned, directly or indirectly, by investment funds managed by General Atlantic Service Company, L.P., be deemed an Affiliate of General Atlantic Singapore AI Pte. Ltd..

 

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“Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday or other day on which commercial banks are required or authorized by law to be closed in the PRC, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Cayman Islands or the United States.

 

“Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company.

 

“Charter Documents” means, with respect to a particular legal entity, the articles or certificate of incorporation, formation or registration (including, if applicable, certificates of change of name), memorandum of association, articles of association, bylaws, articles of organization, limited liability company agreement, trust deed, trust instrument, operating agreement, joint venture agreement, business license, or similar or other constitutive, governing, or charter documents, or equivalent documents, of such entity.

 

“Competitor” means each entity set forth in the list as attached hereto as Schedule C, which list may be updated by the Company no more than once every fiscal quarter as approved by the Board of Directors; provided, that none of the Sequoia Entities and their Affiliates (other than any portfolio companies controlled by the Sequoia Entities) shall be a Competitor.

 

“Control” or “control” of a given Person shall mean the power or authority, whether exercised or not, to direct the business, management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; provided, that such power or authority shall conclusively be presumed to exist upon possession of beneficial ownership or power to direct the vote of more than fifty percent (50%) of the votes entitled to be cast at a meeting of the members or shareholders of such Person or power to control the composition of a majority of the board of directors of such Person. The terms “Controlled” and “Controlling” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

 

“Deemed Liquidation Event” means any of the following events:

 

(1)                                 (A) any consolidation, amalgamation, scheme of arrangement or merger of a Group Company with or into any other Person or other reorganization in which the Members or shareholders of the Company immediately prior to such consolidation, amalgamation, merger, scheme of arrangement or reorganization own less than a majority of such Group Company’s voting power in the aggregate immediately after such consolidation, merger, amalgamation, scheme of arrangement or reorganization, or (B) any transaction or series of related transactions to which a Group Company is a party in which in excess of fifty percent (50%) of such Group Company’s voting power is transferred; or

 

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(2)                                 a sale, transfer, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets or business of any Group Company (or any series of related transactions resulting in such sale, transfer, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of such Group Company), or entering into a license granting exclusive rights for substantially all of a Group Company’s intellectual property in substantially all of the world;

 

provided that corporate activities taken solely for the purpose of achieving a Qualified IPO that has been duly approved in accordance with the Restated Shareholders Agreement and the Restated Memorandum and Articles shall not in any case be a “Deemed Liquidation Event.”

 

“Equity Securities” means, with respect to any Person that is a legal entity, any and all shares of capital stock, membership interests, units, profits interests, ownership interests, equity interests, registered capital, and other equity securities of such Person, and any right, warrant, option, call, commitment, conversion privilege, preemptive right or other right to acquire any of the foregoing, or security convertible into, exchangeable or exercisable for any of the foregoing, or any contract providing for the acquisition of any of the foregoing.

 

“ESOP” means the Company’s Second Amended and Restated Share Incentive Plan (as amended) duly approved by the Board covering the grant or issuance of up to 11,391,131 Ordinary Shares (or options therefor) (as adjusted in connection with share splits or share consolidation, reclassification or other similar event) to employees, officers, directors, contractors, advisors or consultants of the Group Companies.

 

“Founder” means Peter Peizhi LUO.

 

“Governmental Authority” means any government of any nation or any federation, province or state or any other political subdivision thereof; any entity, authority or body exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to government, including any government authority, agency, department, board, commission or instrumentality of the PRC or any other country, or any political subdivision thereof, any court, tribunal or arbitrator, and any self-regulatory organization.

 

“Governmental Order” means any applicable order, ruling, decision, verdict, decree, writ, subpoena, mandate, precept, command, directive, consent, approval, award, judgment, injunction or other similar determination or finding by, before or under the supervision of any Governmental Authority.

 

“Group Company” means each of the Company, the Holdco Subsidiary, the WFOE, the US Subsidiary and the Australian Subsidiary, together with each Subsidiary of any of the foregoing, and “Group” refers to all of Group Companies collectively.

 

“Hong Kong” means the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China.

 

“IPO” means the first firm underwritten registered public offering by the Company of its Ordinary Shares pursuant to a Registration Statement that is filed with and declared effective by either the Commission under the Securities Act or another Governmental Authority for a public offering in a jurisdiction other than the United States.

 

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“Law” or “Laws” means any and all provisions of any applicable constitution, treaty, statute, law, regulation, ordinance, code, rule, or rule of common law, any governmental approval, concession, grant, franchise, license, agreement, directive, requirement, or other governmental restriction or any similar form of decision of, or determination by, or any formally issued written interpretation or administration of any of the foregoing by, any Governmental Authority, in each case as amended, and any and all applicable Governmental Orders.

 

“Majority Investors” means the holders of a majority of the voting power of the outstanding Preferred Shares (voting together as a single class and on an as-converted basis) owned by the Investors.

 

“Ordinary Share Equivalents” means any Equity Security which is by its terms convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Ordinary Shares of the Company, including without limitation, the Preferred Shares.

 

“Ordinary Shares” means the Company’s ordinary shares, par value US$0.0001 per share.

 

“Person” means any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, firm, joint venture, estate, trust, unincorporated organization, association, corporation, institution, public benefit corporation, entity or governmental or regulatory authority or other enterprise or entity of any kind or nature.

 

“PRC” means the People’s Republic of China, but solely for the purposes of this Agreement, excluding Hong Kong, the Macau Special Administrative Region and the islands of Taiwan.

 

“Preferred Shares” means the Series A Preferred Shares, Series B Preferred Shares and the Series C Preferred Shares.

 

“Qualified IPO” means the closing of a firm commitment underwritten public offering of the Ordinary Shares of the Company (or depositary receipts or depositary shares therefor) in the United States pursuant to an effective registration statement under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with an implied pre-offering market capitalization of the Company (based on the last pre-effectiveness pricing or low-end of the price range information contained in the final draft of such registration statement filed with the Commission) of no less than six hundred and fifty million US Dollars (US$650,000,000) and an aggregate gross proceeds of no less than US$75 million, before deduction of underwriting discounts and registration expenses, or in an underwritten public offering of the Ordinary Shares of the Company (or depositary receipts or depositary shares therefor) in another jurisdiction which results in the Ordinary Shares trading publicly on a recognized international securities exchange approved by the Majority Investors, voting as a single class, so long as such offering satisfies the foregoing pre-offering valuation and gross proceeds requirements.

 

“Restated Memorandum and Articles” means the Sixth Amended and Restated Memorandum of Association of the Company and the Sixth Amended and Restated Articles of Association of the Company, as each may be amended and/or restated from time to time.

 

5

 

“Restated Shareholders Agreement” means the Fifth Amended and Restated Shareholders Agreement entered into by and among the Company, the Founder, the Investors and any other parties thereto dated the date hereof, as amended from time to time.

 

“Series A Preferred Shares” means, collectively, the Series A-1 Preferred Shares and the Series A-2 Preferred Shares.

 

“Series A-1 Preferred Shares” means the Series A-1 Preferred Shares of the Company, par value US$0.0001 per share, with the rights and privileges as set forth in the Restated Memorandum and Articles.

 

“Series A-2 Preferred Shares” means the Series A-2 Preferred Shares of the Company, par value US$0.0001 per share, with the rights and privileges as set forth in the Restated Memorandum and Articles.

 

“Series B Preferred Shares” means the Series B Preferred Shares of the Company, par value US$0.0001 per share, with the rights and privileges as set forth in the Restated Memorandum and Articles.

 

“Series C Preferred Shares” means, collectively, the Series C-1 Preferred Shares, the Series C-2 Preferred Shares and the Series C-3 Preferred Shares.

 

“Series C-1 Preferred Shares” means the Series C-1 Preferred Shares of the Company, par value US$0.0001 per share, with the rights and privileges as set forth in the Restated Memorandum and Articles.

 

“Series C-2 Preferred Shares” means the Series C-2 Preferred Shares of the Company, par value US$0.0001 per share, with the rights and privileges as set forth in the Restated Memorandum and Articles.

 

“Series C-3 Preferred Shares” means the Series C-3 Preferred Shares of the Company, par value US$0.0001 per share, with the rights and privileges as set forth in the Restated Memorandum and Articles.

 

“Series C-3 Shareholder” means General Atlantic Singapore AI Pte. Ltd. and any Affiliate thereof that holds any Series C-3 Preferred Shares.

 

“Shareholder” means each Party to this Agreement that owns Shares.

 

“Shares” means the Ordinary Shares and the Preferred Shares.

 

“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any given Person, any other Person that is Controlled directly or indirectly by such given Person.

 

6

 

1.2                               Other Defined Terms. The following terms shall have the meanings defined for such terms in the Sections set forth below:

 

	
Agreement
    	
Preamble
    
	
Arbitration Notice
    	
Section 4.5(i)
    
	
Australian Subsidiary
    	
Recitals
    
	
Company
    	
Preamble
    
	
Co-Sale Notice
    	
Section 2.3(i)
    
	
Dispute
    	
Section 4.5(i)
    
	
Drag Holder
    	
Section 3
    
	
Exercising Notice
    	
Section 2.2(ii)(a)
    
	
Exercising Investor
    	
Section 2.2(ii)(a)
    
	
HKIAC
    	
Section 4.5(ii)
    
	
HKIAC Rules
    	
Section 4.5(ii)
    
	
Holdco Subsidiary
    	
Recitals
    
	
Holding Company
    	
Section 2.1(v)
    
	
Investors
    	
Preamble
    
	
Non-Investor Shareholders
    	
Preamble
    
	
Offered Shares
    	
Section 2.2(i)
    
	
Option Period
    	
Section 2.2(ii)(a)
    
	
Other Restriction Agreements
    	
Section 2.1(vi)
    
	
Party(ies)
    	
Preamble
    
	
Permitted Transferee(s)
    	
Section 2.5
    
	
Prior Agreement
    	
Recitals
    
	
Pro Rata Share
    	
Section 2.2(ii)(b)
    
	
Proposed JSR Exit
    	
Section 2.1(iii)
    
	
Remaining Shares
    	
Section 2.2(ii)(a)
    
	
Selling Shareholder
    	
Section 2.3(i)
    
	
Share Purchase Agreement
    	
Recitals
    
	
Transfer
    	
Section 2.1(i)
    
	
Transferor
    	
Section 2.2(i)
    
	
Transfer Notice
    	
Section 2.2(i)
    
	
US Subsidiary
    	
Recitals
    
	
WFOE
    	
Recitals
    

 

1.3                               Interpretation. For all purposes of this Agreement, except as otherwise expressly herein provided, (i) the terms defined in this Section 1 shall have the meanings assigned to them in this Section 1 and include the plural as well as the singular, (ii) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned under the Accounting Standards (as defined in the Restated Shareholders Agreement), (iii) all references in this Agreement to designated Sections and other subdivisions are to the designated Sections and other subdivisions of the body of this Agreement, (iv) pronouns of either gender or neuter shall include, as appropriate, the other pronoun forms, (v) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular Section or other subdivision, (vi) all references in this Agreement to designated Schedules, Exhibits and Appendices are to the Schedules, Exhibits and Appendices attached to this Agreement, (vii) references to this Agreement, and any other document shall be construed as references to such document as the same may be amended, supplemented or novated from time to time, (viii) the terms “shall,” “will,” and “agrees” are mandatory, and the term “may” is permissive, (ix) the phrase “directly or indirectly” means directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediate Persons or through contractual or other arrangements, and “direct or indirect” has the correlative meaning, (x) the term “voting power” refers to the number of votes attributable to the Shares (on an as-converted basis) in accordance with the terms of the Restated Memorandum and Articles, (xi) the headings used in this Agreement are used for convenience only and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting this Agreement, (xii) references to laws include any such law modifying, re-enacting, extending or made pursuant to the same or which is modified, re-enacted, or extended by the same or pursuant to which the same is made, and (xiii) all references to dollars or to “US$” are to currency of the United States of America and all references to RMB are to currency of the PRC (and each shall be deemed to include reference to the equivalent amount in other currencies).

 

7

 

2.                                      Restriction on Transfers; Rights of First Refusal and Co-Sale Rights.

 

2.1                               Restriction on Transfers.

 

(i)                                     Non-Investor Shareholders. A Non-Investor Shareholder shall not directly or indirectly sell, assign, transfer, pledge, hypothecate, or otherwise encumber or dispose of in any way or otherwise grant any interest or right with respect to (“Transfer”) all or any part of any interest in any Equity Securities of the Company now or hereafter owned or held by such Non-Investor Shareholder unless Sections 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4 are complied with.

 

(ii)                                  Investors. For the avoidance of doubt, an Investor may freely Transfer any Equity Securities of the Company now or hereafter owned or held by it without limitation; provided that:

 

(a)                                 such Transfer is effected in compliance with all applicable Laws;

 

(b)                                 the transferee shall execute and deliver to the Company and other parties thereto a deed of adherence or joinder becoming a party to the Restated Shareholders Agreement and this Agreement as an “Investor” (if not already so bound) upon and after such Transfer; and

 

(c)                                  with respect to the transfer by an Investor of any Preferred Share and if such transferee shall be a Competitor of the Company or other Group Companies, such transfer shall be approved by at least five (5) directors of the Company.

 

The Company will update its register of members upon the consummation of any such permitted Transfer.

 

(iii)                               Transfer by JSR Limited. In the event that JSR Limited intends to transfer (the “Proposed JSR Exit”) all of its Shares by reason of the expiration of the operation term of Shanghai Jinsha River Equity Investment Enterprise (Limited Partnership), JSR Limited shall notify the Company in writing of such intent. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to assist JSR Limited to accomplish the Proposed JSR Exit in the next equity financing of the Company to the extent such assistance does not adversely impact the Company’s ability to complete such equity financing in a manner satisfactory to the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 2.1(iii) shall be construed to impose any obligation on the Company to guarantee the completion of the Proposed JSR Exit.

 

(iv)                              Prohibited Transfers Void. Any Transfer of Equity Securities of the Company not made in compliance with this Agreement shall be null and void as against the Company, shall not be recorded on the books of the Company and shall not be recognized by the Company or any other Party.

 

(v)                                 No Indirect Transfers. Each Non-Investor Shareholder agrees not to circumvent or otherwise avoid the transfer restrictions or intent thereof set forth in this Agreement or any Other Restriction Agreements, whether by holding the Equity Securities of the Company indirectly through another Person or by causing or effecting, directly or indirectly, the Transfer or issuance of any Equity Securities by any such Person, or otherwise. Any purported Transfer, sale or issuance of any Equity Securities of any company held by a Non-Investor Shareholder holding Shares in the Company (the “Holding Company”) in contravention of this Agreement shall be void and ineffective for any and all purposes and shall not confer on any transferee or purported transferee any rights whatsoever, and no Party (including without limitation, the Non-Investor Shareholder or Holding Company) shall recognize any such Transfer, sale or issuance.

 

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(vi)                              Cumulative Restrictions. For purposes of clarity, the restrictions on Transfer set forth in this Agreement on a Party are cumulative with, and in addition to, the restrictions set forth in each other agreement imposing restrictions on Transfer by such Person of Equity Securities of the Company (collectively, the “Other Restriction Agreements”), including the Restated Shareholders Agreement, and not in lieu thereof.

 

2.2                               Rights of First Refusal.

 

(i)                                     Transfer Notice. If a Non-Investor Shareholder (each a “Transferor”) proposes to sell any Equity Securities of the Company or any interest therein to one or more third parties, then the Transferor shall give (i) the Company and (ii) each Investor, written notice of the Transferor’s intention to make the sale (the “Transfer Notice”), which shall include (i) a description of the Equity Securities to be sold (the “Offered Shares”), (ii) the identity and address of the prospective transferee and (iii) the consideration and the material terms and conditions upon which the proposed sale is to be made. The Transfer Notice shall certify that the Transferor has received a definitive offer from the prospective transferee and in good faith believes a binding agreement for the sale is obtainable on the terms set forth in the Transfer Notice. The Transfer Notice shall also include a copy of any written proposal, term sheet or letter of intent or other agreement relating to the proposed Transfer.

 

(ii)                                  Transfer by Transferors.

 

(a)                                 if a Transferor proposes to sell any Equity Securities of the Company or any interest therein to one or more third parties, each Investor other than the Transferor shall have an option for a period of fifteen (15) days following receipt of the Transfer Notice (the “Option Period”) to apply to purchase the Offered Shares at the same price and subject to the same terms and conditions as described in the Transfer Notice, by notifying the Transferor and the Company in a written notice (the “Exercising Notice”) before the expiration of the Option Period which shall specify the number of such Offered Shares that it wishes to purchase. Each Investor delivering such Exercising Notice within the Option Period (the “Exercising Investor”) shall be entitled to purchase its Pro Rata Share of the Offered Shares at the same price and subject to the same terms and conditions as described in the Transfer Notice. If any Investor fails to deliver an Exercising Notice within the Option Period, such unexercised Pro Rata Share of the Offered Shares (the “Remaining Shares”) shall be allocated among the Exercising Investors that applied for more than their respective Pro Rata Share of the Offered Shares up to their respective Pro Rata Share of the Remaining Shares.

 

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(b)                                 For the purposes of this Section 2.2(ii), an Investor’s “Pro Rata Share” of such Offered Shares shall be equal to (i) the total number of such Offered Shares, multiplied by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the aggregate number of Ordinary Shares held by such Investor on the date of the Transfer Notice (including all Preferred Shares held by such Investor on an as-converted to Ordinary Share basis) and the denominator of which shall be the total number of Ordinary Shares (including Preferred Shares on an as-converted to Ordinary Share basis) held by all Investors; and an Exercising Investor’s “Pro Rata Share” of the Remaining Shares shall be equal to (i) the total number of such Remaining Shares, multiplied by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the aggregate number of Ordinary Shares held by such Exercising Investor on the date of the Transfer Notice (including all Preferred Shares held by such Investor on an as-converted to Ordinary Share basis) and the denominator of which shall be the total number of Ordinary Shares (including Preferred Shares on an as-converted to Ordinary Share basis) held by all Exercising Investors.

 

(c)                                  Subject to applicable securities Laws, each Investor shall be entitled to apportion Offered Shares to be purchased among its Affiliates, provided that such Investor notifies the Company and the Transferor in writing and such Affiliates shall execute and deliver to the Company and the other parties thereto a deed of adherence or joinder becoming a party to the Restated Shareholders Agreement as an “Investor” (if not already so bound) upon and after such sale.

 

(iii)                               Procedure. If any Investor gives the Transferor notice that it or he desires to purchase Offered Shares, then payment for the Offered Shares to be purchased shall be made by check (if agreeable to the Transferor), or by wire transfer in immediately available funds of the appropriate currency, against delivery of such Offered Shares to be purchased, at a place agreed to by the Transferor and all the Exercising Investors and at the time of the scheduled closing therefor, but if they cannot agree, then at the principal executive offices of the Company on the fortieth (40th) day after the Company’s receipt of the Transfer Notice, unless such notice contemplated a later closing date with the prospective third party transferee, or unless the value of the purchase price has not yet been established pursuant to Section 2.2(iv), in which case the closing shall be on such later date or as provided in Section 2.2(iv)(d). The Transferor shall have the right to terminate or withdraw any Transfer Notice and any intent to transfer Offered Shares at any time, whether or not any Investor has elected to purchase any Offered Shares offered hereby. The Company will update its register of members upon the consummation of any such sale.

 

(iv)                              Valuation of Property.

 

(a)                                 Should the purchase price specified in the Transfer Notice be payable in property other than cash or evidences of indebtedness, the Investors (if any of the Investors exercised its right of first refusal above), shall have the right to pay the purchase price in the form of cash equal in amount to the fair market value of such property.

 

(b)                                 If the Transferor and the Exercising Investors holding a majority of the Offered Shares elected to be purchased by all Exercising Investors cannot agree on such cash value within the Option Period or the Investor’s Option Period, as applicable, the valuation shall be made by an appraiser of internationally recognized standing mutually selected by the Transferor and all the Exercising Investors or, if they cannot agree on an appraiser within the Option Period, then the Transferor or any Exercising Investor may request the HKIAC council to designate an appraiser of internationally recognized standing, whose appraisal shall be determinative of such value and shall be final and binding on the Transferor and the Exercising Investors.

 

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(c)                                  The cost of such appraisal (and the cost, if any, of securing the appointment thereof by the HKIAC council) shall be shared equally by the Transferor, on the one hand, and the Exercising Investors pro rata based on the number of Offered Shares each Exercising Investor is purchasing, on the other hand.

 

(d)                                 If the value of the purchase price offered by the prospective transferee is not determined within forty (40) days following the Company’s receipt of the Transfer Notice from the Transferor, the closing of the purchase of Offered Shares by the Exercising Investors shall be held on or prior to the fifth (5th) Business Day after such valuation shall have been made pursuant to this Section 2.2(iv).

 

2.3                               Right of Co-Sale.

 

(i)                                     To the extent the Investors do not exercise their respective rights of first refusal under Section 2.2 as to all or any of the Offered Shares proposed to be sold by the Transferor to the third party transferee identified in the Transfer Notice, the Transferor shall give notice thereof to each Investor not exercising any right of first refusal pursuant to Section 2.2 (the “Co-Sale Notice”) (specifying in such Co-Sale Notice the number of remaining Offered Shares as well as the number of Ordinary Shares that such Investor would be eligible to include in such sale pursuant to its co-sale right hereunder), and each such Investor shall have the right to participate in such sale, to the third party transferee identified in the Transfer Notice, of the remaining Offered Shares not purchased pursuant to Section 2.2, on the same terms and conditions as specified in the Transfer Notice (but in no event less favorable than the terms and conditions offered to the Transferor) (and for the same consideration on an as converted to ordinary share basis) by notifying the Transferor in writing within fifteen (15) days following the date of the Co-Sale Notice (each such electing Investor, a “Selling Shareholder”). Such Selling Shareholder’s notice to the Transferor shall indicate the number of Equity Securities the Selling Shareholder wishes to sell under its right to participate. To the extent one or more Investors exercise such right of participation in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth below, the number of Offered Shares that the Transferor may sell in the Transfer to the third party transferee identified in the Transfer Notice shall be correspondingly reduced.

 

(ii)                                  The total number of Equity Securities that each Selling Shareholder may elect to sell shall be equal to the product of (i) the aggregate number of the remaining Offered Shares being transferred to the third party transferee identified in the Transfer Notice after giving effect to the exercise of all rights of first refusal pursuant to Section 2.2 hereof, multiplied by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Ordinary Shares (including Preferred Shares on an as-converted to Ordinary Share basis) owned by such Selling Shareholder on the date of the Transfer Notice and the denominator of which is the total number of Ordinary Shares (including Preferred Shares on an as-converted to Ordinary Share basis) held by the Selling Shareholders and the Transferor.

 

(iii)                               Each Selling Shareholder shall effect its participation in the sale by promptly delivering to the Transferor for transfer to the prospective purchaser, before the applicable closing, one or more certificates, properly endorsed for transfer, which represent the type and number of Equity Securities which such Selling Shareholder elects to sell; provided, however that if the prospective third party purchaser objects to the delivery of Ordinary Share Equivalents in lieu of Ordinary Shares, such Selling Shareholder shall only deliver Ordinary Shares (and therefore shall convert any such Ordinary Share Equivalents into Ordinary Shares) and certificates corresponding to such Ordinary Shares, and the Company shall effect any such conversion concurrent with the actual transfer of such shares to the purchaser and contingent on such transfer.

 

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(iv)                              The share certificate or certificates that a Selling Shareholder delivers to the Transferor pursuant to this Section 2.3 shall be transferred to the prospective purchaser in consummation of the sale of the Equity Securities pursuant to the terms and conditions specified in the Transfer Notice, and the Transferor shall concurrently therewith remit to such Selling Shareholder that portion of the sale proceeds to which such Selling Shareholder is entitled by reason of its participation in such sale. The Company will update its register of members upon the consummation of any such transfer.

 

(v)                                 To the extent that any prospective purchaser prohibits the participation by a Selling Shareholder exercising its co-sale rights hereunder in a proposed Transfer or otherwise refuses to purchase shares or other securities from a Selling Shareholder exercising its co-sale rights hereunder, the Transferor shall not sell to such prospective purchaser any Equity Securities unless and until, simultaneously with such sale, the Transferor shall purchase from such Selling Shareholder such shares or other securities that such Selling Shareholder would otherwise be entitled to sell to the prospective purchaser pursuant to its co-sale rights for the same consideration and on the same terms and conditions as the proposed transfer described in the Transfer Notice.

 

2.4                               Non-Exercise of Rights.

 

(i)                                     If the Investors do not elect to purchase all of the Offered Shares in accordance with Section 2.2, then, subject to the right of the Investors to exercise their rights to participate in the sale of Offered Shares within the time periods specified in Section 2.3, the Transferor shall have a period of ninety (90) days from the expiration of the Option Period in which to sell the remaining Offered Shares to the third party transferee identified in the Transfer Notice upon terms and conditions (including the purchase price) no more favorable to the purchaser than those specified in the Transfer Notice, so long as any such sale is effected in accordance with all applicable Laws. The Parties agree that each such transferee, prior to and as a condition to the consummation of any sale, shall execute and deliver to the Company and the other parties thereto a deed of adherence or joinder becoming a party to this Agreement as a Non-Investor Shareholder (if not already so bound) in connection with the Offered Shares, and the transfer shall not be effective and shall not be recognized by any Party until such documents and instruments are so executed and delivered.

 

(ii)                                  In the event the Transferor does not consummate the sale of such Offered Shares to the third party transferee identified in the Transfer Notice within ninety (90) day period, the rights of the Investors under Section 2.2 and Section 2.3 shall be re-invoked and shall be applicable to each subsequent disposition of such Offered Shares by the Transferor until such rights lapse in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

(iii)                               The exercise or non-exercise of the rights of the Investor under this Section 2 to purchase Equity Securities from a Transferor or participate in the sale of Equity Securities by a Transferor shall not adversely affect their rights to make subsequent purchases from the Transferor of Equity Securities or subsequently participate in sales of Equity Securities by the Transferor hereunder.

 

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2.5                               Limitations to Rights of First Refusal and Co-Sale.

 

Subject to the requirements of applicable Law, the restrictions under Section 2.1 and the right of first refusal and right of co-sale of the Investor under Sections 2.2 and 2.3 shall not apply to:

 

(a)                  any sale of Equity Securities of the Company to the public pursuant to a Qualified IPO,

 

(b)                  Transfer of any Equity Securities of the Company now or hereafter held by a Transferor to such Transferor’s parents, children, spouse, lineal descendants, or to a trustee, executor, or other fiduciary for the benefit of such Transferor or such Transferor’s parents, children, spouse for bona fide estate planning purposes, provided that such Transfer will not result in the occurrence of any Deemed Liquidation Event,

 

(c)                   Transfer of any Equity Securities of the Company now or hereafter held by a Transferor to its Affiliates,

 

(d)                    any sale of Equity Securities of the Company now or hereafter held by the Transferor in a Deemed Liquidation Event duly approved by the Board of Directors and the Members in accordance with the Restated Shareholders Agreement and the Restated Memorandum and Articles,

 

(e)                   to a repurchase of Shares to be transferred from a Non-Investor Shareholder by the Company at a price no greater than that originally paid by such Non-Investor Shareholder for such Shares to be transferred and pursuant to an agreement setting forth vesting and/or repurchase provisions duly approved by the Board of Directors, and

 

(f)                    to the purchase of Shares to be transferred from a Non-Investor Shareholder by the Company pursuant to an agreement entered into as duly approved by Board of Directors containing a right of first refusal in favor of the Company, provided that (x) any such agreement entered into prior to the date of this Agreement shall have been disclosed to the Investors in writing and (y) any such agreement entered into after the date of this Agreement shall have been duly approved by the Board of Directors,

 

(each such transferee pursuant to clauses (b), (c) and (d) above, a “Permitted Transferee”, and collectively, the “Permitted Transferees”); provided, that (i) such Transfer is effected in compliance with all applicable Laws, (ii) respecting any transfer pursuant to clause (b) above, the Transferor has provided the Majority Investors reasonable evidence of the bona fide estate planning purposes for such transfer, and (iii) each such Permitted Transferee, prior to the completion of the Transfer, shall execute and deliver to the Company a deed of adherence or joinder becoming a party hereto assuming the obligations of such Transferor under this Agreement and the applicable Other Restriction Agreements as a Transferor, with respect to the transferred Equity Securities; provided further, that the Transferor shall remain liable for any breach by such Permitted Transferee of any provision under this Agreement and the applicable Other Restriction Agreements.

 

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2.6                               Legend.

 

Each certificate representing Offered Shares held by the Non-Investor Shareholder or issued to any Permitted Transferee in connection with a transfer permitted by Section 2.5 hereof shall be endorsed with the following legend:

 

THE SALE, PLEDGE, HYPOTHECATION OR TRANSFER OF THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE IS SUBJECT TO, AND IN CERTAIN CASES PROHIBITED BY, THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF A CERTAIN RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL AND CO- SALE AGREEMENT BY AND AMONG THE SHAREHOLDER, THE COMPANY AND CERTAIN OTHER HOLDERS OF SHARES OF THE COMPANY. COPIES OF SUCH AGREEMENT MAY BE OBTAINED UPON WRITTEN REQUEST TO THE REGISTERED OFFICE OF THE COMPANY.

 

Each Non-Investor Shareholder agrees that the Company may instruct its transfer agent (if any) to impose transfer restrictions on the shares represented by certificates bearing the legend referred to in this Section 2 above to enforce the provisions of this Agreement, and the Company agrees to promptly do so. The legend shall be removed upon termination of this Agreement at the request of the holder.

 

3.                                      Drag-Along Rights.

 

If (i) the holders of a majority of the voting power of the then outstanding Ordinary Shares and (ii) the Majority Investors (the “Drag Holders”) approve in writing a proposed Deemed Liquidation Event which implies a valuation of the Company of no less than US$650 million, then the Company shall promptly notify each other Shareholder in writing of such approval and the material terms and conditions of such proposed Deemed Liquidation Event, whereupon each such Shareholder shall, in accordance with instructions received from the Company, (i) vote all of such Shareholder’s voting Equity Securities of the Company in favor of the Deemed Liquidation Event; (ii) otherwise consent in writing to the Deemed Liquidation Event; and (iii) sell or transfer all of its Equity Securities or the same percentage of its Equity Securities of the Company as the Drag Holders sell on the same terms and conditions as were agreed to by the Drag Holders; provided, however, that such terms and conditions, including with respect to price paid or received per Equity Security of the Company, may differ as between different classes of Equity Securities of the Company in accordance with their relative liquidation preferences as set forth in the Restated Memorandum and Articles. Each Shareholder furthermore agrees to make other customary covenants on a several but not joint and several basis and take all necessary actions in connection with the consummation of such Deemed Liquidation Event and to effect the sale and transfer under this Section 3 as reasonably requested by the Drag Holders, provided that it shall be liable only up to the net proceeds paid to such Shareholder in connection with such Deemed Liquidation Event. Without limiting the foregoing sentence, no Shareholder who is not an employee, officer, the Founder or Controlling Shareholder of a Group Company shall be required to make any representations or warranties other than with respect to itself (including without limitation due authorization, title to shares, enforceability of applicable agreements, and similar representations and warranties), and shall not be liable for the breach of any representation, warranty or covenant made by any other Person in connection with such Deemed Liquidation Event (except to the extent that (A) a Shareholder may be liable, pro rata based on its share ownership and total amount of consideration in respect thereof in such Deemed Liquidation Event in proportion to, and does not exceed, the amount of consideration paid to such Shareholder in connection with such Deemed Liquidation Event, to cover breach of representations and warranties of the Company and (B) funds may be paid out of an escrow established to cover breach of representations, warranties and covenants of the Company as well as breach by any Shareholder of any of identical representations, warranties and covenants provided by all Shareholders with respect to the Company)

 

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4.                                      Miscellaneous.

 

4.1                               Termination.

 

This Agreement shall terminate and be of no further force or effect upon the earliest to occur of (i) the closing of a Qualified IPO or a liquidation, winding up or dissolution of the Company, or (ii) the closing of a Deemed Liquidation Event. If this Agreement terminates, the Parties shall be released from their obligations under this Agreement, except in respect of any obligation stated, explicitly or otherwise, to continue to exist after the termination of this Agreement. Subject to Section 2.5, the Section 2.1(ii)(c) hereof shall terminate with respect to any shareholder of Preferred Shares when such shareholder holds less than 0.5% of outstanding Ordinary Shares of the Company on a fully diluted and as converted to Ordinary Shares basis (including all Preferred Shares held by such Investor on an as-converted to Ordinary Share basis). If any Party breaches this Agreement before the termination of this Agreement, it shall not be released from its obligations arising from such breach on termination.

 

4.2                               Further Assurances.

 

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein, each of the Parties hereto agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to take or cause to be taken all action, to do or cause to be done, to execute such further instruments, and to assist and cooperate with the other Parties hereto in doing, all things necessary, proper or advisable under applicable Laws or otherwise to consummate and make effective, in the most expeditious manner practicable, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

4.3                               Assignments and Transfers; No Third Party Beneficiaries.

 

Except as otherwise provided herein, this Agreement and the rights and obligations of the Parties hereunder shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, their respective successors, assigns and legal representatives, but shall not otherwise be for the benefit of any third party. The Parties do not intend that any term of this Agreement should be enforceable, by virtue of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Ordinance (Cap. 623 of the Laws of Hong Kong), by any Person who is not a party to this Agreement. The rights of any Investor hereunder are assignable (together with the related obligations) to a third party in connection with the transfer of Equity Securities of the Company held by such Investor in accordance with this Agreement. Any such transferee shall execute and deliver to the Company a deed of adherence or joinder becoming a party hereto as an “Investor” subject to the terms and conditions hereof (if not already so bound). Except as provided above or as otherwise specifically provided herein, this Agreement and the rights and obligations of each Party hereunder shall not be assigned without the mutual written consent of the other Parties except as expressly provided herein.

 

4.4                               Governing Law.

 

This Agreement and all actions arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the Laws of Hong Kong, without regard to the conflicts of law provisions of Hong Kong or of any other state.

 

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4.5                               Dispute Resolution.

 

(i)                                     Any dispute, controversy, difference or claim (each, a “Dispute”) arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or the interpretation, breach, termination, validity or invalidity thereof, shall be referred to arbitration upon the demand of either party to the dispute with notice (the “Arbitration Notice”) to the other.

 

(ii)                                  The Dispute shall be settled by arbitration in Hong Kong administered by the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (the “HKIAC”) in accordance with the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre Administered Arbitration Rules (the “HKIAC Rules”) in force when the Arbitration Notice is submitted. There shall be three (3) arbitrators. The HKIAC council shall select the arbitrators, who shall be qualified to practice law in Hong Kong.

 

(iii)                               The arbitral proceedings shall be conducted in English.

 

(iv)                              The costs of arbitration shall be borne by the losing party, unless otherwise determined by the arbitral tribunal.

 

(v)                                 The award of the arbitral tribunal shall be final and binding upon the parties thereto, and the prevailing party may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction for enforcement of such award.

 

(vi)                              The arbitral tribunal shall decide any Dispute submitted by the parties to the arbitration strictly in accordance with the substantive Laws of Hong Kong (without regard to principles of conflict of Laws thereunder) and shall not apply any other substantive Law.

 

(vii)                           Any Party to the Dispute shall be entitled to seek interim measures of protection and emergency relief, if possible, from any court of competent jurisdiction in accordance with the applicable Laws of that jurisdiction.

 

(viii)                        When any Dispute occurs and when any Dispute is under arbitration, except for the matters in Dispute, the Parties shall continue to fulfill their respective obligations and shall be entitled to exercise their rights under this Agreement.

 

4.6                               Notices.

 

Any notice required or permitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be given in writing and shall be given either personally or by sending it by next-day or second-day courier service, fax, electronic mail or similar means to the address of the relevant Party as shown on Schedule B attached to the Restated Shareholders Agreement (or at such other address as such Party may designate by fifteen (15) days’ advance written notice to the other Parties to this Agreement given in accordance with this Section 4.6). Where a notice is sent by next-day or second-day courier service, service of the notice shall be deemed to be effected by properly addressing, pre-paying and sending by next-day or second-day service through an internationally- recognized courier a letter containing the notice, with a written confirmation of delivery, and to have been effected at the earlier of (i) delivery (or when delivery is refused) and (ii) expiration of two (2) Business Days after the letter containing the same is sent as aforesaid. Where a notice is sent by fax or electronic mail, service of the notice shall be deemed to be effected by properly addressing, and sending such notice through a transmitting organization, with a written confirmation of delivery, and to have been effected on the day the same is sent as aforesaid, if such day is a Business Day and if sent during normal business hours of the recipient, otherwise the next Business Day. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent a “with a copy to” address is designated, notice must also be given to such address in the manner above for such notice, request, consent or other communication hereunder to be effective.

 

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4.7                               Expenses.

 

If any action at law or in equity is necessary to enforce or interpret the terms of this Agreement, the prevailing Party shall be entitled to reasonable attorneys’ fees, costs and necessary disbursements in addition to any other relief to which such Party may be entitled.

 

4.8                               Rights Cumulative; Specific Performance.

 

Each and all of the various rights, powers and remedies of a Party hereto will be considered to be cumulative with and in addition to any other rights, powers and remedies which such Party may have at Law or in equity in the event of the breach of any of the terms of this Agreement. The exercise or partial exercise of any right, power or remedy will neither constitute the exclusive election thereof nor the waiver of any other right, power or remedy available to such Party. Without limiting the foregoing, the Parties hereto acknowledge and agree irreparable harm may occur for which money damages would not be an adequate remedy in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that the Parties shall be entitled to injunctive relief to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions of this Agreement.

 

4.9                               Severability.

 

In case any provision of the Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby. If, however, any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable under any such applicable Law in any jurisdiction, it shall, as to such jurisdiction, be deemed modified to conform to the minimum requirements of such Law, or, if for any reason it is not deemed so modified, it shall be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable only to the extent of such invalidity, illegality, or limitation on enforceability without affecting the remaining provisions of this Agreement, or the validity, legality, or enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

4.10                        Amendments and Waivers.

 

Any provision in this Agreement may be amended and the observance thereof may be waived (either generally or in a particular instance and either retroactively or prospectively), only by the written consent of (i) the Company; (ii) the Majority Investors; and (iii) Persons holding at least a majority of the Ordinary Shares held by the Parties hereto; provided, however, that (1) no amendment or waiver shall be effective or enforceable in respect of a holder of any class or series of Shares if such amendment or waiver affects such holder materially and adversely differently from the other holders of the same class or series of Shares unless such holder consents in writing to such amendment or waiver, (2) any provision that specifically and expressly gives a right to a named Investor shall not be amended or waived without the prior written consent of such named Investor, and (3) any amendment that imposes any additional obligation or restriction on the Series C-3 Shareholder, regardless of whether as a named Investor or by virtue of its holding of Shares in the Company, shall require the written consent of the Series C-3 Shareholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Party hereunder may waive any of its/his rights hereunder without obtaining the consent of any other Parties. Any amendment or waiver effected in accordance with this Section shall be binding upon all the Parties hereto.

 

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4.11                        No Waiver.

 

Failure to insist upon strict compliance with any of the terms, covenants, or conditions hereof will not be deemed a waiver of such term, covenant, or condition, nor will any waiver or relinquishment of, or failure to insist upon strict compliance with, any right, power or remedy hereunder at any one or more times be deemed a waiver or relinquishment of such right, power or remedy at any other time or times.

 

4.12                        Delays or Omissions.

 

No delay or omission to exercise any right, power or remedy accruing to any Party under this Agreement, upon any breach or default of any other Party under this Agreement, shall impair any such right, power or remedy of such non-breaching or non-defaulting Party nor shall it be construed to be a waiver of any such breach or default, or an acquiescence therein, or of or in any similar breach or default thereafter occurring; nor shall any waiver of any single breach or default be deemed a waiver of any other breach or default theretofore or thereafter occurring. Any waiver, permit, consent or approval of any kind or character on the part of any Party of any breach or default under this Agreement, or any waiver on the part of any Party of any provisions or conditions of this Agreement, must be in writing and shall be effective only to the extent specifically set forth in such writing.

 

4.13                        No Presumption.

 

The Parties acknowledge that any applicable Law that would require interpretation of any claimed ambiguities in this Agreement against the Party that drafted it has no application and is expressly waived. If any claim is made by a Party relating to any conflict, omission or ambiguity in the provisions of this Agreement, no presumption or burden of proof or persuasion will be implied because this Agreement was prepared by or at the request of any Party or its counsel.

 

4.14                        Counterparts.

 

This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

4.15                        Entire Agreement.

 

This Agreement together with the other instruments and agreements referenced herein constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all other prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral, among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. For the avoidance of doubt, the Parties hereby agree and acknowledge that the Founder is subject to further, additional restrictions under the terms of the Other Restriction Agreements.

 

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4.16                        Amendment and Restatement of Prior Agreement.

 

By entering into this Agreement, each holder of the Shares agrees that the Prior Agreement shall be terminated with immediate effect and replaced by this Agreement. In addition, all consents and approvals, as may be required for the purpose of entering into and/or the implementation of this Agreement and all transactions contemplated thereunder, from each or any of the holder of Ordinary Shares, Series A Preferred Shares, Series B Preferred Shares, and Series C Preferred Shares, to the extent applicable, under the Memorandum and Articles or any other agreement to which any of them are parties to and/or bound by such agreement are deemed to have been obtained and/or waived by the same.

 

4.17                        Agreement Controlling.

 

In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between any of the terms of this Agreement and any of the terms of any of the Charter Documents for any of the Group Companies, or in the event of any dispute related to any such Charter Document, the terms of this Agreement shall prevail in all respects, the Parties shall give full effect to and act in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement over the provisions of such Charter Documents, and the Parties hereto shall exercise all voting and other rights and powers (including to procure any required alteration to such Charter Documents to resolve such conflict or inconsistency) to make the provisions of this Agreement effective, and not to take any actions that impair any provisions in this Agreement.

 

4.18                        Aggregation of Shares.

 

All Shares held or acquired by any Affiliates shall be aggregated together for the purpose of determining the availability of any rights of the Investors under this Agreement.

 

4.19                        Use of English Language.

 

This Agreement has been executed and delivered in the English language. Any translation of this Agreement into another language shall have no interpretive effect. All documents or notices to be delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement shall be in the English language or, if any such document or notice is not in the English language, accompanied by an English translation thereof, and the English language version of any such document or notice shall control for purposes thereof.

 

4.20                        Effective Date.

 

This Agreement shall only take effect and become binding on and enforceable against the Parties subject to and upon the Closing as defined in the Share Purchase Agreement.

 

4.21                        “Market Stand-Off” Agreement.

 

Each Non-Investor Shareholder agrees, if so required by the managing underwriter(s), that it will not during the period commencing on the date of the final prospectus relating to the Company’s IPO and ending on the date specified by the Company and the managing underwriter (such period not to exceed one hundred eighty (180) days from the date of such final prospectus, (i) lend, offer, pledge, hypothecate, hedge, sell, make any short sale of, loan, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Equity Securities of the Company owned immediately prior to the date of the final prospectus relating to the IPO (other than those included in such offering), or (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of such Equity Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Equity Securities of the Company or such other securities, in cash or otherwise; provided, that (x) the forgoing provisions of this Section shall not apply to the sale of any securities of the Company to an underwriter pursuant to any underwriting agreement, (y) this Section shall not apply to a Non-Investor Shareholder to the extent that any other Person subject to substantially similar restrictions is released in whole or in part, and (z) the lockup agreements shall permit a Non- Investor Shareholder to transfer his/her Registrable Securities to his/her Permitted Transferees so long as the transferees enter into the same lockup agreement. The Non-Investor Shareholders agree to execute and deliver to the underwriters a lock-up agreement containing substantially similar terms and conditions as those contained herein. In order to enforce the foregoing covenant, the Company may place restrictive legends on the certificates and impose stop- transfer instructions with respect to the Equity Securities held by the Non-Investor Shareholders until the end of such period.

 

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4.22                        Additional Parties.

 

Except for the ESOP reserved by the Company, the Company hereby covenants and agrees that it shall not issue any Equity Securities to any Person other than the Investors unless such Person as a condition precedent to the issuance of such Equity Securities to such Person executes and delivers to the Company a deed of adherence or joinder whereby such Person shall become a “Non-Investor Shareholder” party to this Agreement and thereafter such Person shall be deemed a Non-Investor Shareholder for all purposes of this Agreement and the Company shall amend Schedule A hereto to include information with regard to such Person and deliver such updated schedule to each of the parties hereto. The provisions of this Section 4.22 may be waived with respect to any particular issuance of Equity Securities only with the prior written consent of the Majority Investors.

 

[The remainder of this page has been intentionally left blank.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their respective duly authorized representatives to execute this Agreement on the date and year first above written.

 

COMPANY:

 

	
 
    	
Adagene Inc.
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Peter Peizhi Luo
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Peter Peizhi Luo
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Director
    

 

[Adagene Inc. — Fourth Amended and Restated Right of First Refusal & Co-Sale Agreement — Signature Page]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their respective duly authorized representatives to execute this Agreement on the date and year first above written.

 

NON-INVESTOR SHAREHOLDER AND INVESTOR (solely in his capacity as the holder of Series A-l Preferred Shares):

 

	
 
    	
/s/   Peter Peizhi Luo
    
	
 
    	
Peter Peizhi Luo
    

 

[Adagene Inc. — Fourth Amended and Restated Right of First Refusal & Co-Sale Agreement — Signature Page]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their respective duly authorized representatives to execute this Agreement on the date and year first above written.

 

NON-INVESTOR SHAREHOLDER AND INVESTOR (solely in his capacity as the holder of Series A-l Preferred Shares):

 

	
 
    	
/s/   Ge Li
    
	
 
    	
Ge Li
    

 

[Adegene Inc. — Fourth Amended and Restated Right of First Refusal & Co-Sale Agreement — Signature Page]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their respective duly authorized representatives to execute this Agreement on the date and year first above written.

 

INVESTORS:

 

	
 
    	
ASIA VENTURES   II L.P.
    
	
 
    	
By: Asia Partners II,   L.P., its General Partner
    
	
 
    	
By: Eight Roads GP. as   General Partner
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Matthew Heath
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Matthew Heath
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Director
    

 

[Adagene Inc. — Fourth Amended and Restated Right of First Refusal & Co-Sale Agreement — Signature Page]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their respective duly authorized representatives to execute this Agreement on the date and year first above written.

 

	
INVESTORS:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
F-Prime   Capital Partners Healthcare Fund III LP
    
	
 
    	
By: F-Prime Capital   Partners Healthcare Advisors Fund III LP, its sole General Partner
    
	
 
    	
By: Impresa Management   LLC, its sole General Partner
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Mary Bevelock   Pendergast
    
	
 
    	
Name
    	
Mary Bevelock   Pendergast
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Vice President
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Address:
    
	
 
    	
F-Prime Capital   Partners Healthcare Fund III LP
    
	
 
    	
c/o F-Prime Capital   Partners
    
	
 
    	
One Main Street, 13th   Floor
    
	
 
    	
Cambridge, MA 02142
    

 

[Adagene Inc. — Fourth Amended and Restated Right of First Refusal & Co-Sale Agreement — Signature Page]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their respective duly authorized representatives to execute this Agreement on the date and year first above written.

 

	
INVESTORS:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
WUXI   PHARMATECH HEALTHCARE FUND I L.P.
    
	
 
    	
By WuXi PharmaTech Fund   I General Partner L.P., its general partner
    
	
 
    	
By WuXi PharmaTech   Investments (Cayman) Inc., its general partner
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Edward Hu
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Edward Hu
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
CFO / Authorized   Signatory
    

 

[Adagene Inc. — Fourth Amended and Restated Right of First Refusal & Co-Sale Agreement — Signature Page]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their respective duly authorized representatives to execute this Agreement on the date and year first above written.

 

	
INVESTORS:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
JSR LIMITED
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Dongmei Ji
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Dongmei Ji
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Authorized Signatory
    

 

[Adagene Inc. — Fourth Amended and Restated Right of First Refusal & Co-Sale Agreement — Signature Page]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their respective duly authorized representatives to execute this Agreement on the date and year first above written.

 

	
INVESTORS:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
New   World TMT Limited
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Wong Chi Chiu   Albert
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Wong Chi Chiu Albert

 
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Director 
    

 

[Adagene Inc. — Fourth Amended and Restated Right of First Refusal & Co-Sale Agreement — Signature Page]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their respective duly authorized representatives to execute this Agreement on the date and year first above written.

 

	
INVESTORS:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
SCC   Venture VI Holdco, Ltd.
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Ip Siu Wai Eva
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Ip Siu Wai Eva
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Authorized Signatory
    

 

[Adagene Inc. — Fourth Amended and Restated Right of First Refusal & Co-Sale Agreement — Signature Page]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their respective duly authorized representatives to execute this Agreement on the date and year first above written.

 

	
INVESTORS:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Gopher   Harvest Co-Investment Fund LP
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Yin Zhe
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Yin Zhe 
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Director 
    

 

[Adagene Inc. — Fourth Amended and Restated Right of First Refusal & Co-Sale Agreement — Signature Page]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their respective duly authorized representatives to execute this Agreement on the date and year first above written.

 

	
INVESTORS:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
AVICT GLOBAL HOLDINGS LIMITED
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
For and on behalf of   AVICT Global Holdings Limited
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Jing Xiong
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Jing Xiong
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Authorized Signatory
    

 

[Adagene Inc. — Fourth Amended and Restated Right of First Refusal & Co-Sale Agreement — Signature Page]

 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their respective duly authorized representatives to execute this Agreement on the date and year first above written.

 

	
INVESTORS:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
KING   STAR MED LP
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Xianghong Lin
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Xianghong Lin
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Authorized Signatory
    

 

[Adagene Inc. — Fourth Amended and Restated Right of First Refusal & Co-Sale Agreement — Signature Page]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their respective duly authorized representatives to execute this Agreement on the date and year first above written.

 

	
INVESTORS:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Chief   Strategic International Limited
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Fu Chi Kong
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Fu Chi Kong
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Director
    

 

[Adagene Inc. — Fourth Amended and Restated Right of First Refusal & Co-Sale Agreement — Signature Page]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their respective duly authorized representatives to execute this Agreement on the date and year first above written.

 

	
INVESTORS:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Mega   Prime Development Limited
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Wang Jianping
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Wang Jianping
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Director
    

 

[Adagene Inc. — Fourth Amended and Restated Right of First Refusal & Co-Sale Agreement — Signature Page]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their respective duly authorized representatives to execute this Agreement on the date and year first above written.

 

	
INVESTORS:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Modest   Champion Limited
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Lin Lei /s/ Xie Jia
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Lin Lei, Xie Jia 
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Authorized Signatories
    

 

[Adagene Inc. — Fourth Amended and Restated Right of First Refusal & Co-Sale Agreement — Signature Page]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their respective duly authorized representatives to execute this Agreement on the date and year first above written.

 

	
INVESTORS:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Poly   Platinum Enterprises Limited
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Yuezhong Li
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
 
    

 

[Adagene Inc. — Fourth Amended and Restated Right of First Refusal & Co-Sale Agreement — Signature Page]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their respective duly authorized representatives to execute this Agreement on the date and year first above written.

 

	
INVESTORS:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
GENERAL   ATLANTIC SINGAPORE AI PTE. LTD.
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Ong Yu Huat
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Ong Yu Huat
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Director
    

 

[Adagene Inc. — Fourth Amended and Restated Right of First Refusal & Co-Sale Agreement — Signature Page]

 

 

SCHEDULE A

 

LIST OF NON-INVESTOR SHAREHOLDERS

 

	
 
    	
 
    	
Passport Number / Place of
    	
 
    
	
Name
    	
 
    	
Incorporation
    	
 
    
	
Peter   Peizhi Luo
    	
 
    	
[***]
    	
 
    
	
Ge   Li
    	
 
    	
[***]
    	
 
    

 

Fourth Amended and Restated Right of First Refusal & Co-Sale Agreement — Schedule A

 

 

SCHEDULE B

 

LIST OF INVESTORS

 

Asia Ventures II L.P.

 

F-Prime Capital Partners Healthcare Fund III LP

 

Wuxi Pharmatech Healthcare Fund I L.P.

 

JSR Limited

 

New World TMT Limited

 

Ge LI (solely in his capacity as the shareholder of Series A-1 Preferred Shares)

 

Peter Peizhi LUO (solely in his capacity as the shareholder of Series A-1 Preferred Shares)

 

SCC Venture VI Holdco, Ltd.

 

Gopher Harvest Co-Investment Fund LP

 

AVICT GLOBAL HOLDINGS LIMITED

 

King Star Med LP

 

Chief Strategic International Limited

 

Mega Prime Development Limited

 

Modest Champion Limited

 

Poly Platinum Enterprises Limited

 

General Atlantic Singapore AI Pte. Ltd.

 

Fourth Amended and Restated Right of First Refusal & Co-Sale Agreement — Schedule B

 

 

SCHEDULE C

 

LIST OF COMPETITORS

 

Fourth Amended and Restated Right of First Refusal & Co-Sale Agreement — Schedule CExhibit 10.1

 

ADAGENE INC.

SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED SHARE INCENTIVE PLAN

 

PREFACE

 

This Plan is divided into two separate equity programs: (1) the option and share appreciation rights grant program set forth in Section 5 under which Eligible Persons (as defined in Section 3) may, at the discretion of the Administrator, be granted Options and/or SARs, and (2) the share award program set forth in Section 6 under which Eligible Persons may, at the discretion of the Administrator, be awarded restricted or unrestricted Ordinary Shares. Section 2 of this Plan contains the general rules regarding the administration of this Plan. Section 3 sets forth the requirements for eligibility to receive an Award grant under this Plan. Section 4 describes the authorized shares of the Company that may be subject to Awards granted under this Plan. Section 7 contains other provisions applicable to all Awards granted under this Plan. Section 8 provides definitions for certain capitalized terms used in this Plan and not otherwise defined herein.

 

1.                                      PURPOSE OF THE PLAN.

 

The purpose of this Plan is to promote the success of the Company and the interests of its shareholders by providing a means through which the Company may grant equity-based incentives to attract, motivate, retain and reward certain officers, employees, directors and other eligible persons and to further link the interests of Award recipients with those of the Company’s shareholders generally.

 

2.                                      ADMINISTRATION.

 

2.1                               Administrator. This Plan shall be administered by and all Awards under this Plan shall be authorized by the Administrator. The “Administrator” means the Board or one or more committees appointed by the Board or another committee (within its delegated authority) to administer all or certain aspects of this Plan. Any such committee shall be comprised solely of one or more directors or such number of directors as may be required under applicable law. A committee may delegate some or all of its authority to another committee so constituted. The Board or a committee comprised solely of directors may also delegate, to the extent permitted by the Companies Law, Cap 22 (Law 3 of 1961, as consolidated and revised) of the Cayman Islands and any other applicable law, to one or more officers of the Company, its powers under this Plan (a) to designate the officers and employees of the Company and its Affiliates who will receive grants of Awards under this Plan, and (b) to determine the number of shares subject to, and the other terms and conditions of, such Awards. The Board may delegate different levels of authority to different committees with administrative and grant authority under this Plan. Unless otherwise provided in the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company or the applicable charter of any Administrator, a majority of the members of the acting Administrator shall constitute a quorum, and the vote of a majority of the members present assuming the presence of a quorum or the unanimous written consent of the members of the Administrator shall constitute action by the acting Administrator.

 

2.2                               Plan Awards; Interpretation; Powers of Administrator. Subject to the express provisions of this Plan, the Administrator is authorized and empowered to do all on of Awards and the of this Plan (in the case of a committee or delegation to one or more officers, within the authority delegated to that committee or person(s)), including, without limitation, the authority to:

 

1

 

(a)                                 determine eligibility and, from among those persons determined to be eligible, the particular Eligible Persons who will receive Awards;

 

(b)                                 grant Awards to Eligible Persons, determine the price and number of securities to be offered or awarded to any of such persons, determine the other specific terms and conditions of Awards consistent with the express limits of this Plan, establish the installments (if any) in which such Awards will become exercisable or will vest (which may include, without limitation, performance and/or time-based schedules) or determine that no delayed exercisability or vesting is required, establish any applicable performance targets, and establish the events of termination or reversion of such Awards;

 

(c)                                  approve the forms of Award Agreements, which need not be identical either as to type of Award or among Participants;

 

(d)                                 construe and interpret this Plan and any Award Agreement or other agreements defining the rights and obligations of the Company, its Affiliates, and Participants under this Plan, make factual determinations with respect to the administration of this Plan, further define the terms used in this Plan, and prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the administration of this Plan or the Awards;

 

(e)                                  cancel, modify, or waive the Company’s rights with respect to, or modify, discontinue, suspend, or terminate any or all outstanding Awards, subject to any required consent under Section 7.7.4;

 

(f)                                   accelerate or extend the vesting or exercisability or extend the term of any or all outstanding Awards (within the maximum ten-year term of Awards under Sections 5.4.2 and 6.5) in such circumstances as the Administrator may deem appropriate (including, without limitation, in connection with a termination of employment or services or other events of a personal nature);

 

(g)                                  determine Fair Market Value for purposes of this Plan and Awards;

 

(h)                                 determine the duration and purposes of leaves of absence that may be granted to Participants without constituting a termination of their employment for purposes of this Plan;

 

(i)                                     determine whether, and the extent to which, adjustments are required pursuant to Section 7.3 hereof and authorize the termination, conversion, substitution or succession of awards upon the occurrence of an event of the type described in Section 7.3; and

 

(j)                                    implement any procedures, steps, additional or different requirements as may be necessary to comply with any laws of the People’s Republic of China (the “PRC”) that may be applicable to this Plan, any Award or any related documents, including but not limited to foreign exchange laws, tax laws and securities laws of the PRC.

 

2

 

2.3                               Binding Determinations. Any action taken by, or inaction of, the Company, any Affiliate, the Board or the Administrator relating or pursuant to this Plan and within its authority hereunder or under applicable law shall be within the absolute discretion of that entity or body and shall be conclusive and binding upon all persons. Neither the Board nor the Administrator, nor any member thereof or person acting at the direction thereof, shall be liable for any act, omission, interpretation, construction or determination made in good faith in connection with this Plan (or any Award), and all such persons shall be entitled to indemnification and reimbursement by the Company in respect of any claim, loss, damage or expense (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees) arising or resulting therefrom to the fullest extent permitted by law and/or under any directors and officers liability insurance coverage that may be in effect from time to time.

 

2.4                               Reliance on Experts. In making any determination or in taking or not taking any action under this Plan, the Administrator may obtain and may rely upon the advice of experts, including employees of and professional advisors to the Company. No director, officer or agent of the Company or any of its Affiliates shall be liable for any such action or determination taken or made or omitted in good faith.

 

2.5                               Delegation. The Administrator may delegate ministerial, non-discretionary functions to individuals who are officers or employees of the Company or any of its Affiliates or to third parties.

 

3.                                      ELIGIBILITY.

 

Awards may be granted under this Plan only to those persons that the Administrator determines to be Eligible Persons. An “Eligible Person” means any person who qualifies as one of the following at the time of grant of the respective Award:

 

(a)                                 an officer (whether or not a director) or employee of the Company or any of its Affiliates;

 

(b)                                 any member of the Board; or

 

(c)                                  any director of one of the Company’s Affiliates, or any individual consultant or advisor who renders or has rendered bona fide services (other than services in connection with the offering or sale of securities of the Company or one of its Affiliates, as applicable, in a capital raising transaction or as a market maker or promoter of that entity’s securities) to the Company or one of its Affiliates.

 

An advisor or consultant may be selected as an Eligible Person pursuant to clause (c) above only if such person’s participation in this Plan would not adversely affect (1) the Company’s eligibility to rely on the Rule 701 exemption from registration under the Securities Act for the offering of shares issuable under this Plan by the Company, or (2) the Company’s compliance with any other applicable laws.

 

3

 

An Eligible Person may, but need not, be granted one or more Awards pursuant to Section 5 and/or one or more Awards pursuant to Section 6. An Eligible Person who has been granted an Award under this Plan may, if otherwise eligible, be granted additional Awards under this Plan if the Administrator so determines. However, a person’s status as an Eligible Person is not a commitment that any Award will be granted to that person under this Plan. Furthermore, an Eligible Person who has been granted an Award under Section 5 is not necessarily entitled to an Award under Section 6, or vice versa, unless otherwise expressly determined by the Administrator.

 

Each Award granted under this Plan must be approved by the Administrator at or prior to the grant of the Award.

 

4.                                      SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.

 

4.1                               Shares Available. Subject to the provisions of Section 7.3.1, the shares that may be delivered under this Plan will be the Company’s authorized but unissued Ordinary Shares (and any of its Ordinary Shares held as treasury shares). The Ordinary Shares issued and delivered may be issued and delivered for any lawful consideration.

 

4.2                               Share Limit. Subject to the provisions of Section 7.3.1 and further subject to the share counting rules of Section 4.3, the maximum number of Ordinary Shares that may be delivered pursuant to Awards granted under this Plan will not exceed 11,391,131 shares (the “Share Limit”) in the aggregate. As required under U.S. Treasury Regulation Section 1.422- 2(b)(3)(i), in no event will the number of Ordinary Shares that may be delivered pursuant to Incentive Stock Options granted under this Plan exceed the Share Limit.

 

4.3                               Replenishment and Reissue of Unvested Awards. To the extent that an Award is settled in cash or a form other than Ordinary Shares, the shares that would have been delivered had there been no such cash or other settlement shall not be counted against the shares available for issuance under this Plan. No Award may be granted under this Plan unless, on the date of grant, the sum of (a) the maximum number of Ordinary Shares issuable at any time pursuant to such Award, plus (b) the number of Ordinary Shares that have previously been issued pursuant to Awards granted under this Plan, plus (c) the maximum number of Ordinary Shares that may be issued at any time after such date of grant pursuant to Awards that are outstanding on such date, does not exceed the Share Limit. Ordinary Shares that are subject to or underlie Options or SARs granted under this Plan that expire or for any reason are canceled or terminated without having been exercised (or Ordinary Shares subject to or underlying the unexercised portion of such Options or SARs in the case of Options or SARs that were partially exercised), as well as Ordinary Shares that are subject to Share Awards made under this Plan that are forfeited to the Company or otherwise repurchased by the Company prior to the vesting of such shares for a price not greater than the original purchase or issue price of such shares (as adjusted pursuant to Section 7.3.1) will again, except to the extent prohibited by law or applicable listing or regulatory requirements, be available for subsequent Award grants under this Plan. Shares that are exchanged by a Participant or withheld by the Company as full or partial payment in connection with any Award under this Plan, as well as any shares exchanged by a Participant or withheld by the Company or one of its Affiliates to satisfy the tax withholding obligations related to any Award, shall be available for subsequent Awards under this Plan. In the case of an exercise of a SAR, only the number of shares actually issued in respect of such exercise shall be charged against this Plan’s Share Limit. Adjustments to the Share Limit pursuant to this Section 4.3 are subject to any applicable limitations of the Code in the case of Awards intended to be Incentive Stock Options.

 

4

 

4.4                               Reservation of Shares. The Company shall at all times reserve a number of Ordinary Shares sufficient to cover the Company’s obligations and contingent obligations to deliver shares with respect to Awards then outstanding under this Plan.

 

5.                                      OPTION AND SAR GRANT PROGRAM.

 

5.1                               Option and SAR Grants in General. Each Option or SAR shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement in the form approved by the Administrator. The Award Agreement evidencing an Option or SAR shall contain the terms established by the Administrator for that Award, as well as any other terms, provisions, or restrictions that the Administrator may impose on the Option or SAR or any Ordinary Shares subject to the Option or SAR; in each case subject to the applicable provisions and limitations of this Section 5 and the other applicable provisions and limitations of this Plan. The Administrator may require that the recipient of an Option or SAR promptly execute and return to the Company his or her Award Agreement evidencing the Award. In addition, the Administrator may require that the spouse of any married recipient of an Option or SAR also promptly execute and return to the Company the Award Agreement evidencing the Award granted to the recipient or such other spousal consent form that the Administrator may require in connection with the grant of the Award.

 

5.2                               Incentive Stock Option Status. The Administrator will designate each Option granted under this Plan to a U.S. resident as either an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Option, and such designation shall be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. Any Option granted under this Plan to a U.S. resident that is not expressly designated in the applicable Award Agreement as an Incentive Stock Option will be deemed to be designated a Nonqualified Option under this Plan and not an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code. Incentive Stock Options shall be subject to the provisions of Section 5.5 in addition to the provisions of this Plan applicable to Options generally. The Administrator may designate any Option granted under this Plan to a non-U.S. resident in accordance with the rules and regulations applicable to options in the jurisdiction in which such person is a resident.

 

5.3                               Option or SAR Price.

 

5.3.1                     Option Pricing Limits. Subject to the following provisions of this Section 5.3.1, the Administrator will determine the purchase price per share of the Ordinary Shares covered by each Option (the “exercise price” of the Option) at the time of the grant of the Option, which exercise price will be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. In no case will the exercise price of an Option be less than the greatest of:

 

(a)                                 the par value of an Ordinary Share;

 

(b)                                 in the case of an Incentive Stock Option and subject to clause (c) below, 100% of the Fair Market Value of an Ordinary Share on the date of grant; or

 

5

 

(c)                                  in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Participant described in Section 5.5.4, 110% of the Fair Market Value of an Ordinary Share on the date of grant.

 

5.3.2                     Payment Provisions. The Company will not be obligated to deliver certificates for the Ordinary Shares to be purchased upon the exercise of an Option unless and until it receives full payment of the exercise price therefor, all related withholding obligations under Section 7.6 have been satisfied, and all other conditions to the exercise of the Option set forth herein or in the Award Agreement have been satisfied. The purchase price of any Ordinary Shares purchased upon the exercise of an Option must be paid in full at the time of each purchase in such lawful consideration as may be permitted or required by the Administrator, which may include, without limitation, one or a combination of the following methods:

 

(a)                                 cash, check payable to the order of the Company, or electronic funds transfer;

 

(b)                                 notice and third party payment in such manner as may be authorized by the Administrator;

 

(c)                                  the delivery of previously owned Ordinary Shares;

 

(d)                                 by a reduction in the number of Ordinary Shares otherwise deliverable pursuant to the Award;

 

(e)                                  subject to such procedures as the Administrator may adopt, pursuant to a “cashless exercise”; or

 

(f)                                   if authorized by the Administrator or specified in the applicable Award Agreement, by a promissory note of the Participant consistent with the requirements of Section 5.3.3.

 

In no event shall any shares newly-issued by the Company be issued for less than the minimum lawful consideration for such shares or for consideration other than consideration permitted by applicable law. Ordinary Shares used to satisfy the exercise price of an Option (whether previously- owned shares or shares otherwise deliverable pursuant to the terms of the Option) shall be valued at their Fair Market Value on the date of exercise. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the applicable Award Agreement, the Administrator may eliminate or limit a Participant’s ability to pay the purchase or exercise price of any Award by any method other than cash payment to the Company. The Administrator may take all actions necessary to alter the method of Option exercise and the exchange and transmittal of proceeds with respect to Participants resident in the PRC not having permanent residence in a country other than the PRC in order to comply with applicable PRC foreign exchange and tax regulations and any other applicable PRC laws and regulations.

 

5.3.3                     Acceptance of Notes to Finance Exercise. The Company may, with the Administrator’s approval in each specific case, accept one or more promissory notes from any Eligible Person in connection with the exercise of any Option; provided that any such note shall be subject to the following terms and conditions:

 

6

 

(a)                                 The principal of the note shall not exceed the amount required to be paid to the Company upon the exercise, purchase or acquisition of one or more Awards under this Plan and the note shall be delivered directly to the Company in consideration of such exercise, purchase or acquisition.

 

(b)                                 The initial term of the note shall be determined by the Administrator; provided that the term of the note, including extensions, shall not exceed a period of five years.

 

(c)                                  The note shall provide for full recourse to the Participant and shall bear interest at a rate determined by the Administrator, but not less than the interest rate necessary to avoid the imputation of interest under the Code or other applicable tax law, rules or regulations, and to avoid any adverse accounting consequences in connection with the exercise, purchase or acquisition.

 

(d)                                 If the employment or services of the Participant by or to the Company and its Affiliates terminates, the unpaid principal balance of the note shall become due and payable on the 30th business day after such termination; provided, however, that if a sale of the shares acquired on exercise of the Option would cause such Participant to incur liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, the unpaid balance shall become due and payable on the 10th business day after the first day on which a sale of such shares could have been made without incurring such liability assuming for these purposes that there are no other transactions (or deemed transactions) in securities of the Company by the Participant subsequent to such termination.

 

(e)                                  If required by the Administrator or by applicable law, the note shall be secured by a pledge of any shares or rights financed thereby or other collateral, in compliance with applicable law.

 

The terms, repayment provisions, and collateral release provisions of the note and the pledge securing the note shall conform with all applicable rules and regulations, including those of the Federal Reserve Board of the United States and any applicable law, as then in effect.

 

5.3.4                     Base Price of SARs. The Administrator will determine the base price per share of the Ordinary Shares covered by each SAR at the time of the grant of the SAR, which base price will be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

7

 

5.4                               Vesting; Term; Exercise Procedure.

 

5.4.1                     Vesting. Except as provided in Section 5.8, an Option or SAR may be exercised only to the extent that it is vested and exercisable. The Administrator will determine the vesting and/or exercisability provisions of each Option or SAR (which may be based on performance criteria, passage of time or other factors or any combination thereof), which provisions will be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. Unless the Administrator otherwise expressly provides, once exercisable an Option or SAR will remain exercisable until the expiration or earlier termination of the Option or SAR.

 

5.4.2                     Term. Each Option and SAR shall expire not more than 10 years after its date of grant. Each Option and SAR will be subject to earlier termination as provided in or pursuant to Sections 5.6 and 7.3 or the terms of the applicable Award Agreement.

 

5.4.3                     Exercise Procedure. Any exercisable Option or SAR will be deemed to be exercised when (a) the applicable exercise procedures in the related Award Agreement have been satisfied (or, in the absence of any such procedures in the related Award Agreement, the Company has received written notice of such exercise from the Participant), and (b) in the case of an Option, the Company has received any required payment made in accordance with Section 5.3 and Section 7.6, and (c) in the case of an Option or SAR, the Company has received any written statement required pursuant to Section 7.5.1.

 

5.4.4                     Fractional Shares/Minimum Issue. Fractional share interests will be disregarded, but may be accumulated. The Administrator, however, may determine that cash, other securities, or other property will be paid or transferred in lieu of any fractional share interests. No Option or SAR may be exercised as to fewer than 100 shares (subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 7.3.1) at one time unless the number as to which the Award is exercised is the total number at the time then subject to the vested and exercisable portion of the Award.

 

5.5                               Limitations on Grant and Terms of Incentive Stock Options.

 

5.5.1                     US$100,000 Limit. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of shares with respect to which incentive stock options (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code) first become exercisable by a Participant in any calendar year exceeds US$100,000, taking into account both Ordinary Shares subject to Incentive Stock Options under this Plan and shares subject to incentive stock options under all other plans of the Company or any of its Affiliates, such options will be treated as Nonqualified Options. For this purpose, the Fair Market Value of the shares subject to options will be determined as of the date the options were awarded. In reducing the number of options treated as incentive stock options to meet the US$100,000 limit, the most recently granted options will be reduced (recharacterized as Nonqualified Options) first. To the extent a reduction of simultaneously granted options is necessary to meet the US$100,000 limit, the Administrator may, in the manner and to the extent permitted by law, designate which Ordinary Shares are to be treated as shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of an incentive stock option.

 

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5.5.2                     Other Code Limits. Incentive Stock Options may only be granted to individuals that are employees of the Company or one of its Affiliates and satisfy the other eligibility requirements of the Code. Any Award Agreement relating to Incentive Stock Options will contain or shall be deemed to contain such other terms and conditions as from time to time are required in order that the Option be an “incentive stock option” as that term is defined in Section 422 of the Code.

 

5.5.3                     ISO Notice of Sale Requirement. Any Participant who exercises an Incentive Stock Option shall give prompt written notice to the Company of any sale or other transfer of the Ordinary Shares acquired on such exercise if the sale or other transfer occurs within (a) one year after the exercise date of the Option, or (b) two years after the grant date of the Option.

 

5.5.4                     Limits on 10% Holders. No Incentive Stock Option may be granted to any person who, at the time the Incentive Stock Option is granted, owns (or is deemed to own under Section 424(d) of the Code) outstanding shares of the Company (or any of its Affiliates) possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of shares of the Company (or any of its Affiliates), unless the exercise price of such Incentive Stock Option is at least 110% of the Fair Market Value of the shares subject to the Incentive Stock Option and the Incentive Stock Option by its terms is not exercisable more than five years after the date the Incentive Stock Option is granted.

 

5.6                               Effects of Termination of Employment on Options and SARs.

 

5.6.1                     Dismissal for Cause. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement and subject to earlier termination pursuant to or as contemplated by Section 5.4.2 or 7.3, if a Participant’s employment by or service to the Company or any of its Affiliates is terminated by such entity for Cause, the Participant’s Option or SAR will terminate on the Participant’s Severance Date, whether or not the Option or SAR is then vested and/or exercisable.

 

5.6.2                     Death or Disability. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement (consistent with applicable securities laws) and subject to earlier termination pursuant to or as contemplated by Section 5.4.2 or 7.3, if a Participant’s employment by or service to the Company or any of its Affiliates terminates as a result of the Participant’s death or Total Disability:

 

(a)                                 the Participant (or his or her Personal Representative or Beneficiary, in the case of the Participant’s Total Disability or death, respectively), will have until the date that is 12 months after the Participant’s Severance Date to exercise the Participant’s Option or SAR (or portion thereof) to the extent that it was vested and exercisable on the Severance Date;

 

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(b)                                 the Option or SAR, to the extent not vested and exercisable on the Participant’s Severance Date, shall terminate on the Severance Date; and

 

(c)                                  the Option or SAR, to the extent exercisable for the 12-month period following the Participant’s Severance Date and not exercised during such period, shall terminate at the close of business on the last day of the 12-month period.

 

5.6.3                     Other Terminations of Employment. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement (consistent with applicable securities laws) and subject to earlier termination pursuant to or as contemplated by Section 5.4.2 or 7.3, if a Participant’s employment by or service to the Company or any of its Affiliates terminates for any reason other than a termination by such entity for Cause or because of the Participant’s death or Total Disability:

 

(a)                                 the Participant will have until the date that is 3 months after the Participant’s Severance Date to exercise his or her Option or SAR (or portion thereof) to the extent that it was vested and exercisable on the Severance Date;

 

(b)                                 the Option or SAR, to the extent not vested and exercisable on the Participant’s Severance Date, shall terminate on the Severance Date; and

 

(c)                                  the Option or SAR, to the extent exercisable for the 3-month period following the Participant’s Severance Date and not exercised during such period, shall terminate at the close of business on the last day of the 3-month period.

 

5.7                               Option and SAR Repricing/Cancellation and Regrant/Waiver of Restrictions. Subject to Section 4 and Section 7.7 and the specific limitations on Options and SARs contained in this Plan, the Administrator from time to time may authorize, generally or in specific cases only, for the benefit of any Eligible Person, any adjustment in the exercise or base price, the vesting schedule, the number of shares subject to, or the term of, an Option or SAR granted under this Plan by cancellation of an outstanding Option or SAR and a subsequent regranting of the Option or SAR, by amendment, by substitution of an outstanding Option or SAR, by waiver or by other legally valid means. Such amendment or other action may result in, among other changes, an exercise or base price that is higher or lower than the exercise or base price of the original or prior Option or SAR, provide for a greater or lesser number of Ordinary Shares subject to the Option or SAR, or provide for a longer or shorter vesting or exercise period.

 

5.8                               Early Exercise Options and SARs. The Administrator may, in its discretion, designate any Option or SAR as an “early exercise Option” or “early exercise SAR” which, by express provision in the applicable Award Agreement, may be exercised prior to the date such Option or SAR has vested. If the Participant elects to exercise all or a portion of an early exercise Option or SAR before it is vested, the Ordinary Shares acquired under the Option or SAR which are attributable to the unvested portion of the Option or SAR shall be Restricted Shares. The applicable Award Agreement will specify the extent (if any) to which and the time (if ever) at which the Participant will be entitled to dividends, voting and other rights in respect of such Restricted Shares prior to vesting, and the restrictions imposed on such shares and the conditions of release or lapse of such restrictions. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the applicable Award Agreement, such Restricted Shares shall be subject to the provisions of Sections 6.6 through 6.9, below.

 

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6.                                      SHARE AWARD PROGRAM.

 

6.1                               Share Awards in General. Each Share Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement in the form approved by the Administrator. The Award Agreement evidencing a Share Award shall contain the terms established by the Administrator for that Share Award, as well as any other terms, provisions, or restrictions that the Administrator may impose on the Share Award; in each case subject to the applicable provisions and limitations of this Section 6 and the other applicable provisions and limitations of this Plan. The Administrator may require that the recipient of a Share Award promptly execute and return to the Company his or her Award Agreement evidencing the Share Award. In addition, the Administrator may require that the spouse of any married recipient of a Share Award also promptly execute and return to the Company the Award Agreement evidencing the Share Award granted to the recipient or such other spousal consent form that the Administrator may require in connection with the grant of the Share Award.

 

6.2                               Types of Share Awards. The Administrator shall designate whether a Share Award shall be a Restricted Share Award, and such designation shall be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

6.3                               Purchase Price.

 

6.3.1                     Pricing Limits. Subject to the following provisions of this Section 6.3, the Administrator will determine the purchase price per share of the Ordinary Shares covered by each Share Award at the time of grant of the Award. In no case will such purchase price be less than the par value of the Ordinary Shares.

 

6.3.2                     Payment Provisions. The Company will not be obligated to record in the Company’s register of members, or issue certificates evidencing, Ordinary Shares awarded under this Section 6 unless and until it receives full payment of the purchase price therefor and all other conditions to the purchase, as determined by the Administrator, have been satisfied, at which point the relevant shares shall be issued and noted in the Company’s register of members. The purchase price of any shares subject to a Share Award must be paid in full at the time of the purchase in such lawful consideration as may be permitted or required by the Administrator, which may include, without limitation, one or a combination of the methods set forth in clauses (a) through (f) in Section 5.3.2 and/or past services rendered to the Company or any of its Affiliates.

 

6.4                               Vesting. The restrictions imposed on the Ordinary Shares subject to a Restricted Share Award (which may be based on performance criteria, passage of time or other factors or any combination thereof) will be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

6.5                               Term. A Share Award shall either vest or be repurchased by the Company as provided in Section 6.8 not more than 10 years after the date of grant. Each Share Award will be subject to earlier termination as provided in or pursuant to Sections 6.8 and 7.3. Any payment of cash or delivery of shares in payment for a Share Award may be delayed until a future date if specifically authorized by the Administrator in writing and by the Participant.

 

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6.6                               Share Certificates; Fractional Shares. Share certificates evidencing Restricted Shares will bear a legend making appropriate reference to the restrictions imposed hereunder and will be held by the Company or by a third party designated by the Administrator until the restrictions on such shares have lapsed, the shares have vested in accordance with the provisions of the Award Agreement and Section 6.4, and any related loan has been repaid. Fractional share interests will be disregarded, but may be accumulated. The Administrator, however, may determine that cash, other securities, or other property will be paid or transferred in lieu of any fractional share interests.

 

6.7                               Dividend and Voting Rights. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, a Participant holding Restricted Shares will be entitled to cash dividend and voting rights for all Restricted Shares issued even though they are not vested, but such rights will terminate immediately as to any Restricted Shares which cease to be eligible for vesting or are repurchased by the Company.

 

6.8                               Termination of Employment; Return to the Company. Unless the Administrator otherwise expressly provides, Restricted Shares subject to an Award that remain subject to vesting conditions that have not been satisfied by the time specified in the applicable Award Agreement (which may include, without limitation, the Participant’s Severance Date), will not vest and will be reacquired by the Company in such manner and on such terms as the Administrator provides, which terms shall include, to the extent not prohibited by law, return or repayment of the lower of (a) the Fair Market Value of the Restricted Shares at the time of the termination, or (b) if applicable, the original purchase price of the Restricted Shares, without interest. The Award Agreement shall specify any other terms or conditions of the repurchase if the Award fails to vest. Any other Share Award that has not been exercised as of a Participant’s Severance Date shall terminate on that date unless otherwise expressly provided by the Administrator in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

6.9                               Waiver of Restrictions. Subject to Sections 4 and 7.7 and the specific limitations on Share Awards contained in this Plan, the Administrator from time to time may authorize, generally or in specific cases only, for the benefit of any Eligible Person, any adjustment in the vesting schedule, or the restrictions upon or the term of, a Share Award granted under this Plan by amendment, by substitution of an outstanding Share Award, by waiver or by other legally valid means.

 

7.                                      PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO ALL AWARDS.

 

7.1                               Rights of Eligible Persons, Participants and Beneficiaries.

 

7.1.1                     Employment Status. No Person shall have any claim or rights to be granted an Award (or additional Awards, as the case may be) under this Plan, subject to any express contractual rights (set forth in a document other than this Plan) to the contrary.

 

7.1.2                     No Employment/Service Contract. Nothing contained in this Plan (or in any other documents under this Plan or related to any Award) shall confer upon any Eligible Person or Participant any right to continue in the employ or other service of the Company or any of its Affiliates, constitute any contract or agreement of employment or other service or affect an employee’s status as an employee at will, nor shall interfere in any way with the right of the Company or any Affiliate to change such person’s compensation or other benefits, or to terminate his or her employment or other service, with or without cause at any time. Nothing in this Section 7.1.2, or in Section 7.3 or 7.15, however, is intended to adversely affect any express independent right of such person under a separate employment or service contract. An Award Agreement shall not constitute a contract of employment or service.

 

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7.1.3                     Plan Not Funded. Awards payable under this Plan will be payable in Ordinary Shares or from the general assets of the Company, and (except as to the share reservation provided in Section 4.4) no special or separate reserve, fund or deposit will be made to assure payment of such Awards. No Participant, Beneficiary or other person will have any right, title or interest in any fund or in any specific asset (including Ordinary Shares, except as expressly provided) of the Company or any of its Affiliates by reason of any Award hereunder. Neither the provisions of this Plan (or of any related documents), nor the creation or adoption of this Plan, nor any action taken pursuant to the provisions of this Plan will create, or be construed to create, a trust of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company or any of its Affiliates and any Participant, Beneficiary or other person. To the extent that a Participant, Beneficiary or other person acquires a right to receive payment pursuant to any Award hereunder, such right will be no greater than the right of any unsecured general creditor of the Company.

 

7.1.4                     Charter Documents. The Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company, as may lawfully be amended from time to time, may provide for additional restrictions and limitations with respect to the Ordinary Shares (including additional restrictions and limitations on the voting or transfer of Ordinary Shares) or priorities, rights and preferences as to securities and interests prior in rights to the Ordinary Shares. These restrictions and limitations are in addition to (and not in lieu of) those set forth in this Plan or any Award Agreement and are incorporated herein by this reference.

 

7.2                               No Transferability; Limited Exception to Transfer Restrictions.

 

7.2.1                     Limit on Exercise and Transfer. Unless otherwise expressly provided in (or pursuant to) this Section 7.2, by applicable law and by the Award Agreement, as the same may be amended:

 

(a)                                 all Awards are non-transferable and will not be subject in any manner to sale, transfer, anticipation, alienation, assignment, pledge, encumbrance or charge;

 

(b)                                 Awards will be exercised only by the Participant; and

 

(c)                                  amounts payable or shares issuable pursuant to an Award will be delivered only to (or for the account of), and, in the case of Ordinary Shares, registered in the name of, the Participant.

 

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In addition, the shares shall be subject to the restrictions set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

7.2.2                     Further Exceptions to Limits on Transfer. The exercise and transfer restrictions in Section 7.2.1 will not apply to:

 

(a)                                 transfers to the Company;

 

(b)                                 transfers by gift or domestic relations order to one or more “family members” (as that term is defined in SEC Rule 701 promulgated under the Securities Act) of the Participant, including transfers to a trust in which the Participant (or other family member) has more than 50% of the beneficial interest, a foundation in which the Participant (or other family member) controls the management of assets, or an entity in which the Participant (or other family member) owns more than 50% of the voting interest, so long as such transfer is expressly authorized by the Administrator and is in compliance with all applicable laws;

 

(c)                                  the designation of a Beneficiary to receive benefits if the Participant dies or, if the Participant has died, transfers to or exercises by the Participant’s Beneficiary, or, in the absence of a validly designated Beneficiary, transfers by will or the laws of descent and distribution; or

 

(d)                                 if the Participant has suffered a disability, permitted transfers or exercises on behalf of the Participant by the Participant’s duly authorized legal representative.

 

Notwithstanding anything else in this Section 7.2.2 to the contrary, but subject to compliance with all applicable laws, Incentive Stock Options and Restricted Share Awards will be subject to any and all transfer restrictions under the Code applicable to such awards or necessary to maintain the intended tax consequences of such Awards. Notwithstanding clause (b) above but subject to compliance with all applicable laws, any contemplated transfer by gift or domestic relations order to one or more family members of a Participant as referenced in clause (b) above is subject to the condition precedent that the transfer be approved by the Administrator in order for it to be effective. The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, withhold its approval of any such proposed transfer.

 

7.3                               Adjustments; Changes in Control.

 

7.3.1                     Adjustments. Subject to Section 7.3.2 below, upon (or, as may be necessary to effect the adjustment, immediately prior to) any reclassification, recapitalization, share split (including a share split in the form of a share dividend) or reverse share split; any merger, combination, consolidation, or other reorganization; any split-up, spin-off, or similar extraordinary dividend distribution in respect of the Ordinary Shares; or any exchange of Ordinary Shares or other securities of the Company, or any similar, unusual or extraordinary corporate transaction in respect of the Ordinary Shares; then the Administrator shall equitably and proportionately adjust (1) the number and type of shares of Ordinary Shares (or other securities) that thereafter may be made the subject of Awards (including the specific share limits, maximums and numbers of shares set forth elsewhere in this Plan), (2) the number, amount and type of Ordinary Shares (or other securities or property) subject to any outstanding Awards, (3) the grant, purchase, exercise or base price of any outstanding Awards, and/or (4) the securities, cash or other property deliverable upon exercise or vesting of any outstanding Awards, in each case to the extent necessary to preserve (but not increase) the level of incentives intended by this Plan and the then-outstanding Awards.

 

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Unless otherwise expressly provided in the applicable Award Agreement, upon (or, as may be necessary to effect the adjustment, immediately prior to) any event or transaction described in the preceding paragraph or a sale of all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company as an entirety, the Administrator shall equitably and proportionately adjust the performance standards applicable to any then-outstanding performance-based Awards to the extent necessary to preserve (but not increase) the level of incentives intended by this Plan and the then-outstanding performance-based Awards.

 

It is intended that, if possible, any adjustments contemplated by the preceding two paragraphs be made in a manner that satisfies applicable legal, tax (including, without limitation and as applicable in the circumstances, Section 424 of the Code and Section 409A of the Code) and accounting (so as to not trigger any charge to earnings with respect to such adjustment) requirements.

 

Without limiting the generality of Section 2.3, any good faith determination by the Administrator as to whether an adjustment is required in the circumstances pursuant to this Section 7.3.1, and the extent and nature of any such adjustment, shall be conclusive and binding on all persons.

 

Unless otherwise expressly provided by the Administrator, in no event shall a conversion of one or more outstanding shares of the Company’s preferred share (if any) or any new issuance of securities by the Company for consideration be deemed, in and of itself, to require an adjustment pursuant to this Section 7.3.1.

 

7.3.2                     Consequences of a Change in Control Event. Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control Event, the Administrator may make provision for a cash payment in settlement of, or for the assumption, substitution or exchange of any or all outstanding Awards (or the cash, securities or other property deliverable to the holder(s) of any or all outstanding Awards) based upon, to the extent relevant in the circumstances, the distribution or consideration payable to holders of the Ordinary Shares upon or in respect of such event.

 

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In addition, subject to Sections 7.3.4 and 7.3.5, upon (or, as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this acceleration, immediately prior to) the occurrence of a Change in Control Event:

 

(a)                                 each Option and SAR will become immediately vested and exercisable; and

 

(b)                                 Restricted Shares will immediately vest free of forfeiture restrictions and/or restrictions giving the Company the right to repurchase the shares at their original purchase price;

 

provided,  however, that such acceleration provision shall not apply, unless otherwise expressly provided by the Administrator, with respect to any Award to the extent that the Administrator has made a provision for the substitution, assumption, exchange or other continuation or settlement of the Award, or the Award would otherwise continue in accordance with its terms, in the circumstances.

 

The foregoing Change in Control Event provisions shall not in any way limit the authority of the Administrator to accelerate the vesting of one or more Awards (as to all or only a portion of any Award) in such circumstances (including, but not limited to, a Change in Control Event) as the Administrator may determine to be appropriate, regardless of whether accelerated vesting of all or a portion of the Award(s) is otherwise required or contemplated by the foregoing in the circumstances.

 

The Administrator may adopt such valuation methodologies for outstanding Awards as it deems reasonable in the event of a cash, securities or other property settlement. In the case of Options and SARs, but without limitation on other methodologies, the Administrator may base such settlement solely upon the excess (if any) of the amount payable upon or in respect of such event over the exercise or base price of the Option or SAR, as applicable, to the extent of the then vested and exercisable shares subject to the Option or SAR.

 

In any of the events referred to in this Section 7.3.2, the Administrator may take such action contemplated by this Section 7.3.2 prior to such event (as opposed to on the occurrence of such event) to the extent that the Administrator deems the action necessary to permit the Participant to realize the benefits intended to be conveyed with respect to the underlying shares. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrator may deem an acceleration to occur immediately prior to the applicable event and/or reinstate the original terms of the Award if an event giving rise to an acceleration does not occur.

 

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7.3.3                     Early Termination of Awards. Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control Event, each then-outstanding Award (whether or not vested and/or exercisable, but after giving effect to any accelerated vesting required in the circumstances pursuant to Sections 7.3.2, 7.3.4 and 7.3.5) shall terminate, subject to any provision that has been expressly made by the Administrator, through a plan of reorganization or otherwise, for the survival, substitution, assumption, exchange or other continuation or settlement of such Award and provided that, in the case of Options and SARs that will not survive or be substituted for, assumed, exchanged, or otherwise continued or settled in the Change in Control Event, the holder of such Award shall be given reasonable advance notice of the impending termination and a reasonable opportunity to exercise his or her outstanding and vested Options and SARs (the vested portion of such Options and SARs determined after giving effect to any accelerated vesting required in the circumstances pursuant to Sections 7.3.2, 7.3.4 and 7.3.5) in accordance with their terms before the termination of the Awards (except that in no case shall more than ten days’ notice of accelerated vesting and the impending termination be required and any acceleration may be made contingent upon the actual occurrence of the event). For purposes of this Section 7.3, an Award shall be deemed to have been “assumed” if (without limiting other circumstances in which an Award is assumed) the Award continues after the Change in Control Event, and/or is assumed and continued by a Parent (as such term is defined in the definition of Change in Control Event) following a Change in Control Event, and confers the right to purchase or receive, as applicable and subject to vesting and the other terms and conditions of the Award, for each Ordinary Share subject to the Award immediately prior to the Change in Control Event, the consideration (whether cash, shares, or other securities or property) received in the Change in Control Event by the shareholders of the Company for each Ordinary Share sold or exchanged in such transaction (or the consideration received by a majority of the shareholders participating in such transaction if the shareholders were offered a choice of consideration); provided, however, that if the consideration offered for an Ordinary Share in the transaction is not solely the ordinary or common shares of a successor company or a Parent, the Administrator may provide for the consideration to be received upon exercise or payment of the Award, for each share subject to the Award, to be solely ordinary or common shares (as applicable) of the successor company or a Parent equal in Fair Market Value to the per share consideration received by the shareholders participating in the Change in Control Event.

 

7.3.4                     Other Acceleration Rules. The Administrator may override the provisions of this Section 7.3 as to any Award by express provision in the applicable Award Agreement and may accord any Participant a right to refuse any acceleration, whether pursuant to the Award Agreement or otherwise, in such circumstances as the Administrator may approve. The portion of any Incentive Stock Option accelerated in connection with a Change in Control Event (or such other circumstances as may trigger accelerated vesting of the Incentive Stock Option) shall remain exercisable as an Incentive Stock Option only to the extent the applicable US$100,000 limitation on Incentive Stock Options is not exceeded. To the extent exceeded, the accelerated portion of the Option shall be exercisable as a Nonqualified Option.

 

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7.3.5                     Golden Parachute Limitation. Notwithstanding anything else contained in this Section 7.3 to the contrary, in no event shall any Award or payment be accelerated under this Section 7.3 to an extent or in a manner so that such Award or payment, together with any other compensation and benefits provided to, or for the benefit of, the Participant under any other plan or agreement of the Company or one of its Affiliates, would not be fully deductible by the Company or one of its Affiliates for federal income tax purposes because of Section 280G of the Code. If a holder of an Award would be entitled to benefits or payments hereunder and under any other plan or program that would constitute “parachute payments” as defined in Section 280G of the Code, then the holder may by written notice to the Company designate the order in which such parachute payments will be reduced or modified so that the Company or one of its Affiliates is not denied federal income tax deductions for any “parachute payments” because of Section 280G of the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Participant is a party to an employment or other agreement with the Company or one of its Affiliates, or is a participant in a severance program sponsored by the Company or one of its Affiliates that contains express provisions regarding Section 280G and/or Section 4999 of the Code (or any similar successor provision), or the applicable Award Agreement includes such provisions, the Section 280G and/or Section 4999 provisions of such employment or other agreement or plan, as applicable, shall control as to the Awards held by that Participant (for example, and without limitation, a Participant may be a party to an employment agreement with the Company or one of its Affiliates that provides for a “gross-up” as opposed to a “cut-back” in the event that the Section 280G thresholds are reached or exceeded in connection with a change in control and, in such event, the Section 280G and/or Section 4999 provisions of such employment agreement shall control as to any Awards held by that Participant).

 

7.4                               Termination of Employment or Services.

 

7.4.1                     Events Not Deemed a Termination of Employment. Unless the Administrator otherwise expressly provides with respect to a particular Award, if a Participant’s employment by or service to the Company or an Affiliate terminates but immediately thereafter the Participant continues in the employ of or service to another Affiliate or the Company, as applicable, the Participant shall be deemed to have not had a termination of employment or service for purposes of this Plan and the Participant’s Awards. Unless the express policy of the Company or the Administrator otherwise provides, a Participant’s employment relationship with the Company or any of its Affiliates shall not be considered terminated solely due to any sick leave, military leave, or any other leave of absence authorized by the Company or any Affiliate or the Administrator; provided  that, unless reemployment upon the expiration of such leave is guaranteed by contract or law, such leave is for a period of not more than three months. In the case of any Participant on an approved leave of absence, continued vesting of the Award while on leave from the employ of or service with the Company or any of its Affiliates will be suspended until the Participant returns to service, unless the Administrator otherwise provides or applicable law otherwise requires. In no event shall an Award be exercised after the expiration of the term of the Award set forth in the Award Agreement.

 

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7.4.2                     Effect of Change of Affiliate Status. For purposes of this Plan and any Award, if an entity ceases to be an Affiliate, a termination of employment or service will be deemed to have occurred with respect to each Eligible Person in respect of such Affiliate who does not continue as an Eligible Person in respect of another Affiliate that continues as such after giving effect to the transaction or other event giving rise to the change in status unless the Affiliate that is sold, spun-off or otherwise divested (or its successor or a direct or indirect parent of such Affiliate or successor) assumes the Eligible Person’s award(s) in connection with such transaction.

 

7.4.3                     Administrator Discretion. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 5.6 or 6.8, in the event of, or in anticipation of, a termination of employment or service with the Company or any of its Affiliates for any reason, the Administrator may accelerate the vesting and exercisability of all or a portion of the Participant’s Award, and/or, subject to the provisions of Sections 5.4.2 and 7.3, extend the exercisability period of the Participant’s Option or SAR upon such terms as the Administrator determines and expressly sets forth in or by amendment to the Award Agreement.

 

7.4.4                     Termination of Consulting or Affiliate Services. If the Participant is an Eligible Person solely by reason of clause (c) of Section 3, the Administrator shall be the sole judge of whether the Participant continues to render services to the Company or any of its Affiliates, unless a written contract or the Award Agreement otherwise provides. If, in these circumstances, the Company or any Affiliate notifies the Participant in writing that a termination of the Participant’s services to the Company or any Affiliate has occurred for purposes of this Plan, then (unless the contract or the Award Agreement otherwise expressly provides), the Participant’s termination of services with the Company or Affiliate for purposes of this Plan shall be the date specified by the Company or Affiliate in the notice.

 

7.5                               Compliance with Laws.

 

7.5.1                     General. This Plan, the granting and vesting of Awards under this Plan, and the offer, issuance and delivery of Ordinary Shares, the acceptance of promissory notes and/or the payment of money under this Plan or under Awards are subject to compliance with all applicable federal and state laws, applicable foreign laws, rules and regulations (including but not limited to state and federal securities laws, and federal margin requirements) and to such approvals by any listing, regulatory or governmental authority as may, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, be necessary or advisable in connection therewith. Any person acquiring any securities under this Plan will, if requested by the Company, provide such assurances and representations to the Company as the Administrator may deem necessary or desirable to assure compliance with all applicable legal and accounting requirements.

 

7.5.2                     Compliance with Securities Laws. No Participant shall sell, pledge or otherwise transfer Ordinary Shares acquired pursuant to an Award or any interest in such shares except in accordance with the express terms of this Plan and the applicable Award Agreement. Any attempted transfer in violation of this Section 7.5 shall be void and of no effect. Without in any way limiting the provisions set forth above, no Participant shall make any disposition of all or any portion of Ordinary Shares acquired or to be acquired pursuant to an Award, except in compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws and unless and until:

 

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(a)                                 there is then in effect a registration statement under the Securities Act covering such proposed disposition and such disposition is made in accordance with such registration statement;

 

(b)                                 such disposition is made in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act; or

 

(c)                                  such Participant notifies the Company of the proposed disposition and furnishes the Company with a statement of the circumstances surrounding the proposed disposition, and, if requested by the Company, furnishes to the Company an opinion of counsel acceptable to the Company’s counsel, that such disposition will not require registration under the Securities Act and will be in compliance with all applicable state securities laws.

 

Notwithstanding anything else herein to the contrary, neither the Company or any Affiliate has any obligation to register the Ordinary Shares or file any registration statement under either federal or state securities laws, nor does the Company or any Affiliate make any representation concerning the likelihood of a public offering of the Ordinary Shares or any other securities of the Company or any Affiliate.

 

7.5.3                     Share Legends. All certificates evidencing Ordinary Shares issued or delivered under this Plan shall bear the following legends and/or any other appropriate or required legends under applicable laws:

 

“OWNERSHIP OF THIS CERTIFICATE, THE SHARES EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE AND ANY INTEREST THEREIN ARE SUBJECT TO SUBSTANTIAL RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER UNDER APPLICABLE LAW AND UNDER AGREEMENTS WITH THE COMPANY, INCLUDING RESTRICTIONS ON SALE, ASSIGNMENT, TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER DISPOSITION.”

 

“THE SHARES ARE SUBJECT TO THE COMPANY’S RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL AND CALL RIGHTS TO REPURCHASE THE SHARES UNDER THE COMPANY’S SHARE INCENTIVE PLAN AND AGREEMENTS WITH THE COMPANY THEREUNDER.”

 

“THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO A LOCK-UP PERIOD FOLLOWING THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF A REGISTRATION STATEMENT OF THE COMPANY FILED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (“ACT”), AS SET FORTH IN AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COMPANY AND THE ORIGINAL HOLDER OF THESE SHARES, A COPY OF WHICH MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICE OF THE COMPANY. SUCH LOCK-UP PERIOD IS BINDING ON TRANSFEREES OF THESE SHARES.”

 

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“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED OR QUALIFIED UNDER THE ACT, NOR HAVE THEY BEEN REGISTERED OR QUALIFIED UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. NO TRANSFER OF SUCH SECURITIES WILL BE PERMITTED UNLESS A REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE ACT IS IN EFFECT AS TO SUCH TRANSFER, THE TRANSFER IS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 144 UNDER THE ACT, OR IN THE OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE COMPANY, REGISTRATION UNDER THE ACT IS UNNECESSARY IN ORDER FOR SUCH TRANSFER TO COMPLY WITH THE ACT AND WITH ANY OTHER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS.”

 

7.5.4                     Confidential Information. Any financial or other information relating to the Company obtained by Participants in connection with or as a result of this Plan or their Awards shall be treated as confidential.

 

7.6                               Tax Withholding. Upon any exercise, vesting, or payment of any Award or upon the disposition of Ordinary Shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option prior to satisfaction of the holding period requirements of Section 422 of the Code, the Company or any of its Affiliates shall have the right at its option to:

 

(a)                                 require the Participant (or the Participant’s Personal Representative or Beneficiary, as the case may be) to pay or provide for payment of at least the minimum amount of any taxes which the Company or Affiliate may be required to withhold with respect to such Award event or payment;

 

(b)                                 deduct from any amount otherwise payable (in respect of an Award or otherwise) in cash to the Participant (or the Participant’s Personal Representative or Beneficiary, as the case may be) the minimum amount of any taxes which the Company or Affiliate may be required to withhold with respect to such Award event or payment; or

 

(c)                                  reduce the number of Ordinary Shares to be delivered by (or otherwise reacquire shares held by the Participant) the appropriate number of Ordinary Shares, valued at their then Fair Market Value, to satisfy the minimum withholding obligation.

 

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In any case where a tax is required to be withheld (including taxes in the PRC where applicable) in connection with the delivery of Ordinary Shares under this Plan (including the sale of Ordinary Shares as may be required to comply with foreign exchange rules in the PRC for Participants resident in the PRC), the Administrator may in its sole discretion (subject to Section 7.5) grant (either at the time of the Award or thereafter) to the Participant the right to elect, pursuant to such rules and subject to such conditions as the Administrator may establish, to have the Company reduce the number of shares to be delivered by (or otherwise reacquire) the appropriate number of shares, valued in a consistent manner at their Fair Market Value or at the sales price in accordance with authorized procedures for cashless exercises, necessary to satisfy the minimum applicable withholding obligation on exercise, vesting or payment. In no event shall the shares withheld exceed the minimum whole number of shares required for tax withholding under applicable law. The Company may, with the Administrator’s approval, accept one or more promissory notes from any Eligible Person in connection with taxes required to be withheld upon the exercise, vesting or payment of any Award under this Plan; provided that any such note shall be subject to terms and conditions established by the Administrator and the requirements of applicable law. Any such note need not otherwise comply with the provisions of Section 5.3.3.

 

7.7                               Plan and Award Amendments, Termination and Suspension.

 

7.7.1                     Board Authorization. The Board may, at any time, terminate or, from time to time, amend, modify or suspend this Plan, in whole or in part. No Awards may be granted during any period that the Board suspends this Plan.

 

7.7.2                     Shareholder Approval. To the extent then required by applicable law or any applicable listing agency or required under Sections 162, 422 or 424 of the Code or other applicable tax law, rules or regulations, to preserve the intended tax consequences of this Plan, or deemed necessary or advisable by the Board, any amendment to this Plan shall be subject to shareholder approval.

 

7.7.3                     Amendments to Awards. Without limiting any other express authority of the Administrator under (but subject to) the express limits of this Plan, the Administrator by agreement or resolution may waive conditions of or limitations on Awards to Participants that the Administrator in the prior exercise of its discretion has imposed, without the consent of a Participant, and (subject to the requirements of Sections 2.2 and 7.7.4) may make other changes to the terms and conditions of Awards.

 

7.7.4                     Limitations on Amendments to Plan and Awards. No amendment, suspension or termination of this Plan or amendment of any outstanding Award shall, without written consent of the Participant, affect in any manner materially adverse to the Participant any rights or benefits of the Participant or obligations of the Company under any Award granted under this Plan prior to the effective date of such change. Changes, settlements and other actions contemplated by Section 7.3 shall not be deemed to constitute changes or amendments for purposes of this Section 7.7.

 

7.8                               Privileges of Share Ownership. Except as otherwise expressly authorized by the Administrator, a Participant will not be entitled to any privilege of share ownership as to any Ordinary Shares not actually delivered to and held of record by the Participant. Except as expressly required by Section 7.3.1, no adjustment will be made for dividends or other rights as a shareholder for which a record date is prior to such date of delivery.

 

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7.9                               Share-Based Awards in Substitution for Awards Granted by Other Company. Awards may be granted to Eligible Persons in substitution for or in connection with an assumption of employee share options, share appreciation rights, restricted shares or other share-based awards granted by other entities to persons who are or who will become Eligible Persons in respect of the Company or one of its Affiliates, in connection with a distribution, merger, amalgamation or other reorganization by or with the granting entity or an affiliated entity, or the acquisition by the Company or one of its Affiliates, directly or indirectly, of all or a substantial part of the shares or assets of the employing entity. The Awards so granted need not comply with other specific terms of this Plan, provided the Awards reflect only adjustments giving effect to the assumption or substitution consistent with the conversion applicable to the Ordinary Shares in the transaction and any change in the issuer of the security. Any shares that are delivered and any Awards that are granted by, or become obligations of, the Company, as a result of the assumption by the Company of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by an acquired company (or previously granted by a predecessor employer (or direct or indirect parent thereof) in the case of persons that become employed by the Company or one of its Affiliates in connection with a business or asset acquisition or similar transaction) shall not be counted against the Share Limit or other limits on the number of shares available for issuance under this Plan.

 

7.10                        Effective Date of the Plan. This Plan is effective upon the Effective Date, subject to approval by the shareholders of the Company within twelve months after the date the Board approves this Plan.

 

7.11                        Term of the Plan. Unless earlier terminated by the Board, this Plan will terminate at the close of business on the day before the 10th anniversary of the Effective Date. After the termination of this Plan either upon such stated expiration date or its earlier termination by the Board, no additional Awards may be granted under this Plan, but previously granted Awards (and the authority of the Administrator with respect thereto, including the authority to amend such Awards) shall remain outstanding in accordance with their applicable terms and conditions and the terms and conditions of this Plan.

 

7.12                        Governing Law/Severability.

 

7.12.1              Choice of Law. This Plan, the Awards, all documents evidencing Awards and all other related documents will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Cayman Islands.

 

7.12.2              Severability. If it is determined that any provision of this Plan or an Award Agreement is invalid and unenforceable, the remaining provisions of this Plan and/or the Award Agreement, as applicable, will continue in effect provided that the essential economic terms of this Plan and the Award can still be enforced.

 

7.13                        Captions. Captions and headings are given to the sections and subsections of this Plan solely as a convenience to facilitate reference. Such headings will not be deemed in any way material or relevant to the construction or interpretation of this Plan or any provision thereof.

 

7.14                        Non-Exclusivity of Plan. Nothing in this Plan will limit or be deemed to limit the authority of the Board or the Administrator to grant awards or authorize any other compensation, with or without reference to the Ordinary Shares, under any other plan or authority.

 

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7.15                        No Restriction on Corporate Powers. The existence of this Plan, the Award Agreements, and the Awards granted hereunder, shall not limit, affect or restrict in any way the right or power of the Board or the shareholders of the Company to make or authorize: (a) any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in the Company’s or any Affiliate’s capital structure or its business; (b) any merger, amalgamation, consolidation or change in the ownership of the Company or any Affiliate; (c) any issue of bonds, debentures, capital, preferred or prior preference shares ahead of or affecting the Company’s authorized shares or the rights thereof; (d) any dissolution or liquidation of the Company or any Affiliate; (e) any sale or transfer of all or any part of the Company or any Affiliate’s assets or business; or (f) any other corporate act or proceeding by the Company or any Affiliate. No Participant, Beneficiary or any other person shall have any claim under any Award or Award Agreement against any member of the Board or the Administrator, or the Company or any employees, officers or agents of the Company or any Affiliate, as a result of any such action.

 

7.16                        Other Company Compensation or Benefit Programs. Payments and other benefits received by a Participant under an Award made pursuant to this Plan shall not be deemed a part of a Participant’s compensation for purposes of the determination of benefits under any other employee welfare or benefit plans or arrangements, if any, provided by the Company or any Affiliate, except where the Administrator or the Board expressly otherwise provides or authorizes in writing. Awards under this Plan may be made in addition to, in combination with, as alternatives to or in payment of grants, awards or commitments under any other plans or arrangements of the Company or any Affiliate.

 

7.17                        Clawback Policy. The Awards granted under this Plan are subject to the terms of the Company’s recoupment, clawback or similar policy as it may be in effect from time to time, as well as any similar provisions of applicable law, any of which could in certain circumstances require repayment or forfeiture of Awards or any Ordinary Shares or other cash or property received with respect to the Awards (including any value received from a disposition of the shares acquired upon payment of the Awards).

 

8.                                      DEFINITIONS.

 

“Administrator” has the meaning given to such term in Section 2.1.

 

“Affiliate” means (a) any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Company if, at the time of the determination, each of the corporations other than the Company owns 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, or (b) any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company if, at the time of the determination, each of the corporations other than the last corporation in the unbroken chain owns 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.

 

“Award” means an award of any Option, SAR or Share Award, or any combination thereof, whether alternative or cumulative, authorized by and granted under this Plan.

 

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“Award Agreement” means any writing, approved by the Administrator, setting forth the terms of an Award that has been duly authorized and approved.

 

“Award Date” means the date upon which the Administrator took the action granting an Award or such later date as the Administrator designates as the Award Date at the time of the grant of the Award.

 

“Beneficiary” means the person, persons, trust or trusts designated by a Participant, or, in the absence of a designation, entitled by will or the laws of descent and distribution, to receive the benefits specified in the Award Agreement and under this Plan if the Participant dies, and means the Participant’s executor or administrator if no other Beneficiary is designated and able to act under the circumstances.

 

“Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

“Cause” with respect to a Participant means (unless otherwise expressly provided in the applicable Award Agreement, or another applicable contract with the Participant that defines such term for purposes of determining the effect that a “for cause” termination has on the Participant’s Awards) a termination of employment or service based upon a finding by the Company or any of its Affiliates, acting in good faith and based on its reasonable belief at the time, that the Participant:

 

(a)                                 has been negligent in the discharge of his or her duties to the Company or any Affiliate, has refused to perform stated or assigned duties or is incompetent in or (other than by reason of a disability or analogous condition) incapable of performing those duties;

 

(b)                                 has been dishonest or committed or engaged in an act of theft, embezzlement or fraud, a breach of confidentiality, an unauthorized disclosure or use of inside information, customer lists, trade secrets or other confidential information;

 

(c)                                  has breached a fiduciary duty, or willfully and materially violated any other duty, law, rule, regulation or policy of the Company or any of its Affiliates; or has been convicted of, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to, a felony or misdemeanor (other than minor traffic violations or similar offenses);

 

(d)                                 has materially breached any of the provisions of any agreement with the Company or any of its Affiliates;

 

(e)                                  has engaged in unfair competition with, or otherwise acted intentionally in a manner injurious to the reputation, business or assets of, the Company or any of its Affiliates; or

 

(f)                                   has improperly induced a vendor or customer to break or terminate any contract with the Company or any of its Affiliates or induced a principal for whom the Company or any Affiliate acts as agent to terminate such agency relationship.

 

A termination for Cause shall be deemed to occur (subject to reinstatement upon a contrary final determination by the Administrator) on the date on which the Company or any Affiliate first delivers written notice to the Participant of a finding of termination for Cause.

 

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“Change in Control Event” means any of the following:

 

(a)                                 Approval by shareholders of the Company (or, if no shareholder approval is required, by the Board alone) of the complete dissolution or liquidation of the Company, other than in the context of a Business Combination that does not constitute a Change in Control Event under paragraph (c) below;

 

(b)                                 The acquisition by any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act (a “Person”)) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 50% or more of either (1) the then-outstanding Ordinary Shares of the Company (the “Outstanding Company Ordinary Shares”) or (2) the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that, for purposes of this paragraph (b), the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control Event; (A) any acquisition directly from the Company, (B) any acquisition by the Company, (C) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Affiliate or a successor, (D) any acquisition by any entity pursuant to a Business Combination, (E) any acquisition by a Person described in and satisfying the conditions of Rule 13d-1(b) promulgated under the Exchange Act, or (F) any acquisition by a Person who is the beneficial owner (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 50% or more of the Outstanding Company Ordinary Shares and/or the Outstanding Company Voting Securities on the Effective Date (or an affiliate, heir, descendant, or related party of or to such Person);

 

(c)                                  Consummation of a reorganization, amalgamation, merger, statutory share exchange or consolidation or similar corporate transaction involving the Company or any other entity a majority of whose outstanding voting shares or voting power is beneficially owned directly or indirectly by the Company (a “Subsidiary”), a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or the acquisition of assets or shares of another entity by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each, a “Business Combination”), in each case unless, following such Business Combination, (1) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities that were the beneficial owners of the Outstanding Company Ordinary Shares and the Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the then-outstanding ordinary or common shares and the combined voting power of the then- outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the entity resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, an entity that, as a result of such transaction, owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets directly or through one or more subsidiaries (a “Parent”)), and (2) no Person (excluding any individual or entity described in clauses (C), (E) or (F) of paragraph (b) above) beneficially owns (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, more than 50% of, respectively, the then-outstanding ordinary or common shares of the entity resulting from such Business Combination or the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of such entity, except to the extent that the ownership in excess of 50% existed prior to the Business Combination;

 

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provided, however, that a transaction shall not constitute a Change in Control Event if it is in connection with the underwritten public offering of the Company’s securities.

 

“Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

 

“Company” means Adagene Inc., an exempted company organized under the Companies Law, Cap 22 (Law 3 of 1961, as consolidated and revised) of the Cayman Islands, and its successors.

 

“Effective Date” means the date the Board approved this Plan.

 

“Eligible Person” has the meaning given to such term in Section 3 of this Plan. “Exchange Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

 

“Fair Market Value,” for purposes of this Plan and unless otherwise determined or provided by the Administrator in the circumstances, means as follows:

 

(a)                                 If the Ordinary Shares are listed or admitted to trade on the New York Stock Exchange or other national securities exchange (the “Exchange”), the Fair Market Value shall equal the closing price of an Ordinary Share as reported on the composite tape for securities on the Exchange for the date in question, or, if no sales of Ordinary Shares were made on the Exchange on that date, the closing price of an Ordinary Share as reported on said composite tape for the next preceding day on which sales of Ordinary Shares were made on the Exchange. The Administrator may, however, provide with respect to one or more Awards that the Fair Market Value shall equal the closing price of an Ordinary Share as reported on the composite tape for securities listed on the Exchange on the last trading day preceding the date in question or the average of the high and low trading prices of an Ordinary Share as reported on the composite tape for securities listed on the Exchange for the date in question or the most recent trading day.

 

(b)                                 If the Ordinary Shares are not listed or admitted to trade on a national securities exchange, the Fair Market Value shall be the value as reasonably determined by the Administrator for purposes of the Award in the circumstances (with the expectation being that, in the case of a valuation as of a transaction in which Ordinary Shares or similar securities are being sold or exchanged, such determination by the Administrator will be principally based on the value of the consideration received by the holders of the securities sold or exchanged in such transaction).

 

The Administrator also may adopt a different methodology for determining Fair Market Value with respect to one or more Awards if a different methodology is necessary or advisable to secure any intended favorable tax, legal or other treatment for the particular Award(s) (for example, and without limitation, the Administrator may provide that Fair Market Value for purposes of one or more Awards will be based on an average of closing prices (or the average of high and low daily trading prices) for a specified period preceding the relevant date).

 

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Any determination as to Fair Market Value made pursuant to this Plan shall be made without regard to any restriction other than a restriction which, by its terms, will never lapse, and shall be conclusive and binding on all persons with respect to Awards granted under this Plan.

 

“Incentive Stock Option” means an Option that is designated and intended as an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, the award of which contains such provisions (including but not limited to the receipt of shareholder approval of this Plan, if the award is made prior to such approval) and is made under such circumstances and to such persons as may be necessary to comply with that section.

 

“Nonqualified Option” means an Option that is not an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code and includes any Option designated or intended as a Nonqualified Option and any Option designated or intended as an Incentive Stock Option that fails to meet the applicable legal requirements thereof.

 

“Option” means an option to purchase Ordinary Shares granted under Section 5 of this Plan. The Administrator will designate any Option granted to an employee of the Company or an Affiliate as a Nonqualified Option or an Incentive Stock Option and may also designate any Option as an Early Exercise Option.

 

“Ordinary Shares” means the Company’s Ordinary Shares, par value US$0.0001 per share, and such other securities or property as may become the subject of Awards, or become subject to Awards, pursuant to an adjustment made under Section 7.3.1 of this Plan.

 

“Participant” means an Eligible Person who has been granted and holds an Award under this Plan.

 

“Personal Representative” means the person or persons who, upon the disability or incompetence of a Participant, has acquired on behalf of the Participant, by legal proceeding or otherwise, the power to exercise the rights or receive benefits under this Plan by virtue of having become the legal representative of the Participant.

 

“Plan” means this Adagene Inc. Share Incentive Plan, as it may hereafter be amended from time to time.

 

“Public Offering Date” means the date the Ordinary Shares are first registered under the Exchange Act and listed or quoted on a recognized national securities exchange.

 

“Restricted Shares” means Ordinary Shares awarded to a Participant under this Plan, subject to payment of such consideration and such conditions on vesting (which may include, among others, the passage of time, specified performance objectives or other factors) and such transfer and other restrictions as are established in or pursuant to this Plan and the related Award Agreement, to the extent such remain unvested and restricted under the terms of the applicable Award Agreement.

 

“Restricted Share Award” means an award of Restricted Shares.

 

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“SAR” means a share appreciation right, representing the right, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement, to receive a payment, in cash and/or Ordinary Shares (as specified in the applicable Award Agreement), equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of an Ordinary Share on the date the SAR is exercised over the “base price” of the SAR, which base price shall be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

“Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.

 

“Severance Date” with respect to a particular Participant means, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement:

 

(a)                                 if the Participant is an Eligible Person under clause (a) of Section 3 and the Participant’s employment by the Company or any of its Affiliates terminates (regardless of the reason), the last day that the Participant is actually employed by the Company or such Affiliate (unless, immediately following such termination of employment, the Participant is a member of the Board or, by express written agreement with the Company or any of its Affiliates, continues to provide other services to the Company or any Affiliate as an Eligible Person under clause (c) of Section 3, in which case the Participant’s Severance Date shall not be the date of such termination of employment but shall be determined in accordance with clause (b) or (c) below, as applicable, in connection with the termination of the Participant’s other services);

 

(b)                                 if the Participant is not an Eligible Person under clause (a) of Section 3 but is an Eligible Person under clause (b) thereof, and the Participant ceases to be a member of the Board (regardless of the reason), the last day that the Participant is actually a member of the Board (unless, immediately following such termination, the Participant is an employee of the Company or any of its Affiliates or, by express written agreement with the Company or any of its Affiliates, continues to provide other services to the Company or any Affiliate as an Eligible Person under clause (c) of Section 3, in which case the Participant’s Severance Date shall not be the date of such termination but shall be determined in accordance with clause (a) above or (c) below, as applicable, in connection with the termination of the Participant’s employment or other services);

 

(c)                                  if the Participant is not an Eligible Person under clause (a) or clause (b) of Section 3 but is an Eligible Person under clause (c) thereof, and the Participant ceases to provide services to the Company or any of its Affiliates as determined in accordance with Section 7.4.4 (regardless of the reason), the last day that the Participant actually provides services to the Company or such Affiliate as an Eligible Person under clause (c) of Section 3 (unless, immediately following such termination, the Participant is an employee of the Company or any of its Affiliates or is a member of the Board, in which case the Participant’s Severance Date shall not be the date of such termination of services but shall be determined in accordance with clause (a) or (b) above, as applicable, in connection with the termination of the Participant’s employment or membership on the Board).

 

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“Share Award” means an award of Ordinary Shares under Section 6 of this Plan. A Share Award may be a Restricted Share Award or an award of unrestricted Ordinary Shares.

 

“Total Disability” means a “total and permanent disability” within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code and, with respect to Awards other than Incentive Stock Options, such other disabilities, infirmities, afflictions, or conditions as the Administrator may include.

 

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