Document:

exhibit10-1.htm

 

 

 

Exhibit10.1

 

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

 

Indemnification Agreement, dated as of May 18, 2012, is made by and between Axiom Gold and Silver Corp., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and Robert Knight (the “Indemnitee”).

 

RECITALS

 

A.           The Company and Indemnitee recognize the difficulties associated with obtaining liability insurance for the Company’s directors, officers, employees and other agents, including the rising cost of such insurance and the general reductions in the coverage of such insurance;

B.           The Company and Indemnitee recognize the substantial increase in corporate litigation in general, subjecting directors, officers, employees and other agents to expensive litigation risks at the same time as the availability and coverage of liability insurance has been severely limited;

C.           The Company desires to attract and retain the services of talented and experienced individuals, such as Indemnitee, to serve as directors, officers, employees and agents of the Company and its subsidiaries and wishes to indemnify its directors, officers, employees and other agents to the maximum extent permitted by law;

D.           The General Corporation Law of the State of Nevada, under which the Company is organized (“NVGCL”), empowers the Company to indemnify its directors, officers, employees and agents by agreement and to indemnify persons who serve, at the request of the Company, as the directors, officers, employees or agents of other corporations or enterprises, and expressly provides that the indemnification provided by the NVGCL is not exclusive; and

E.           In order to induce Indemnitee to serve or continue to serve as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company and/or one or more subsidiaries of the Company free from undue concern for claims for damages arising out of or related to such services to the Company and/or one or more subsidiaries of the Company, the Company has determined and agreed to enter into this Agreement with Indemnitee.

 

AGREEMENT

 

NOW, THEREFORE, Indemnitee and the Company hereby agree as follows:

 

1.           Definitions.  As used in this Agreement:

  

  

  

(a)           “Agent” means any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or other agent of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company; or is or was serving at the request of, for the convenience of, or to represent the interests of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another foreign or domestic corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, employee benefit plan, trust, nonprofit entity or other enterprise; or was a director, officer, employee or agent of a foreign or domestic corporation which was a predecessor corporation of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company, or was a director, officer, employee or agent of another enterprise at the request of, for the convenience of, or to represent the interests of such predecessor corporation.

(b)           “ Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

(c)           A “ Change in Control” shall be deemed to have occurred if (i) any “person,” as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), other than a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or a corporation owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company, is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 20% or more of the total voting power represented by the Company’s then outstanding voting securities, (ii) during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the Board, together with any new directors whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the Board, (iii) the stockholders of the Company approve a merger or consolidation or a sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets with or to another entity, other than a merger, consolidation or asset sale that would result in the holders of the Company’s outstanding voting securities immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) at least a majority of the total voting power represented by the voting securities of the Company or such surviving or successor entity outstanding immediately thereafter, or (iv) the stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation of the Company.

(d)           “ Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the matter in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.

(e)           “ Expenses” shall include all out-of-pocket costs of any type or nature whatsoever (including, without limitation, all attorneys’ fees and related disbursements), actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with either the investigation, defense or appeal of a Proceeding or establishing or enforcing a right to indemnification under this Agreement, or Section 145 or otherwise; provided, however, that Expenses shall not include any judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties, or amounts paid in settlement of a Proceeding.

  

  

  

(f)           “ Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a partner (or, if applicable, member) of such a law firm, or an independent practitioner, that is experienced in matters of corporation law.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.

(g)           “ Proceeding” means any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative.

(h)           “ Subsidiary” means any corporation of which more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities is owned directly or indirectly by the Company, by the Company and one or more other subsidiaries, or by one or more other subsidiaries.

2.           Agreement to Serve.  Indemnitee agrees to serve and/or continue to serve as an Agent of the Company, at its will (or under separate agreement, if such agreement exists), in the capacity Indemnitee serves as an Agent of the Company as of the date of this Agreement, so long as Indemnitee is duly appointed or elected and qualified in accordance with the applicable provisions of the By-laws of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or until such time as Indemnitee tenders his or her resignation in writing; provided, however, that nothing contained in this Agreement is intended to create any right to continued employment or other service with the Company by Indemnitee.

3.           Liability Insurance.

(a)           Maintenance of D&O Insurance.  The Company hereby covenants and agrees that, so long as Indemnitee shall continue to serve as an Agent of the Company and thereafter so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any possible Proceeding by reason of the fact that Indemnitee was an Agent of the Company, the Company, subject to Section 3(c), shall promptly obtain and maintain in full force and effect directors’ and officers’ liability insurance (“D&O Insurance”) in reasonable amounts from established and reputable insurers, as more fully described below.

(b)           Rights and Benefits.  In all policies of D&O Insurance, Indemnitee shall qualify as an insured in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company’s independent directors (as defined by the insurer) if Indemnitee is such an independent director; of the Company’s non-independent directors if Indemnitee is not an independent director; of the Company’s officers if Indemnitee is an officer of the Company; or of the Company’s key employees, if Indemnitee is not a director or officer but is a key employee.  If Indemnitee is not a director, officer or an employee of the Company, but rather is another agent of the Company, Indemnitee shall have rights and benefits under the D&O Policy as are reasonable and customary for agents serving in such a capacity.

  

  

  

(c)           Limitation on Required Maintenance of D&O Insurance.  Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 3(a) and 3(b) hereof, the Company shall have no obligation to obtain or maintain D&O Insurance if the Company determines in good faith that: such insurance is not reasonably available; the premium costs for such insurance are disproportionate to the amount of coverage provided; the coverage provided by such insurance is limited by exclusions so as to provide an insufficient benefit; Indemnitee is covered by similar insurance maintained by a subsidiary of the Company; the Company is to be acquired and a tail policy of reasonable terms and duration is purchased for pre-closing acts or omissions by Indemnitee; or the Company is to be acquired and D&O Insurance will be maintained by the acquirer that covers pre-closing acts and omissions by Indemnitee.

4.           Mandatory Indemnification.  Subject to the terms of this Agreement:

(a)           Third Party Actions.  If Indemnitee is a person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to, or is otherwise involved in, any Proceeding (other than an action by or in the right of the Company) by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was an Agent of the Company, or by reason of anything done or not done by Indemnitee in any such capacity, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses and liabilities of any type whatsoever (including, but not limited to, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties, and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of such Proceeding.

(b)           Derivative Actions.  If Indemnitee is a person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was an Agent of the Company, or by reason of anything done or not done by Indemnitee in any such capacity, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of such Proceeding; except that no indemnification under this Section 4(b) shall be made in respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged to be liable to the Company by a court of competent jurisdiction unless and only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery or the court in which such Proceeding was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such amounts which the Delaware Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

(c)           Actions where Indemnitee is Deceased.  If Indemnitee is a person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was an Agent of the Company, or by reason of anything done or not done by Indemnitee in any such capacity, and if, prior to, during the pendency of or after completion of such Proceeding Indemnitee is deceased, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators against all Expenses and liabilities of any type whatsoever to the extent Indemnitee would have been entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Agreement were Indemnitee still alive.

  

  

  

(d)           Certain Terminations.  The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue, or matter therein by judgment, order, settlement, or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal action or Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.

(e)           Limitations.  Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 4(a), 4(b), 4(c) and 4(d) hereof, the Company shall not be obligated to indemnify Indemnitee for Expenses or liabilities of any type whatsoever for which payment (and the Company’s indemnification obligations under this Agreement shall be reduced by such payment) is actually made to or on behalf of Indemnitee, by the Company or otherwise, under an insurance policy, or under a valid and enforceable indemnity clause, by-law or agreement; and, in the event the Company has previously made a payment to Indemnitee for an Expense or liability of any type whatsoever for which payment is actually made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under an insurance policy, or under a valid and enforceable indemnity clause, by-law or agreement, Indemnitee shall return to the Company the amounts subsequently received by the Indemnitee from such other source of indemnification.

	
  

	
5.

	
Indemnification for Expenses in a Proceeding in Which Indemnitee is Wholly or Partly Successful.  

(a)           Successful Defence.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, to the extent Indemnitee has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in defense of any Proceeding (including, without limitation, an action by or in the right of the Company) in which Indemnitee was a party by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was an Agent of the Company at any time, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense or appeal of such Proceeding.

(b)           Partially Successful Defence.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is a party to or a participant in any Proceeding (including, without limitation, an action by or in the right of the Company) in which Indemnitee was a party by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was an Agent of the Company at any time and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter.

(c)           Dismissal.  For purposes of this Section 5 and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.

  

  

  

6.           Mandatory Advancement of Expenses.  Subject to the terms of this Agreement and following notice pursuant to Section 7(a) below, the Company shall advance all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of any Proceeding to which the Indemnitee is a party or is threatened to be made a party by reason of the fact that the Indemnitee is or was an Agent of the Company (unless there has been a final judicial decision from which there is no further right of appeal (a final determination that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification for such Expenses) upon receipt of (i) an undertaking by or on behalf of Indemnitee to repay the amount advanced in the event that there shall be a final determination that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification by the Company and (ii) satisfactory documentation supporting such Expenses.  Such advances are intended to be an obligation of the Company to Indemnitee hereunder and shall in no event be deemed to be a personal loan.  The advances to be made hereunder shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee within sixty (60) days following delivery of a written request therefor by Indemnitee to the Company.

7.           Notice and Other Indemnification Procedures.

(a)           Notice by Indemnitee.  Promptly after receipt by Indemnitee of notice of the commencement of or the threat of commencement of any Proceeding, Indemnitee shall, if Indemnitee believes that indemnification with respect thereto may be sought from the Company under this Agreement, notify the Company in writing of the commencement or threat of commencement thereof.

(b)           Insurance.  If the Company receives notice pursuant to Section 7(a) hereof of the commencement of a Proceeding that may be covered under D&O Insurance then in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of the commencement of such Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies.  

(c)           Defence.  In the event the Company shall be obligated to pay the Expenses of any Proceeding against Indemnitee, the Company shall be entitled to assume the defense of such Proceeding, with counsel selected by the Company and approved by Indemnitee (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld), upon the delivery to Indemnitee of written notice of its election so to do.  After delivery of such notice, and the retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees of counsel subsequently incurred by Indemnitee with respect to the same Proceeding, provided that (i) Indemnitee shall have the right to employ his or her own counsel in any such Proceeding at Indemnitee’s expense; and (ii) Indemnitee shall have the right to employ his or her own counsel in any such Proceeding at the Company’s expense if (A) the Company has authorized the employment of counsel by Indemnitee at the expense of the Company, (B) Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded based on the written advice of Indemnitee’s legal counsel that there may be a conflict of interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense, (C) after a Change in Control not approved by a majority of the members of the Board who were directors immediately prior to such Change in Control, the employment of counsel by Indemnitee has been approved by Independent Counsel, or (D) the Company shall not, in fact, have employed counsel to assume the defense of such Proceeding.

  

  

  

8.           Right to Indemnification.

(a)           Determination of Right to Indemnification.  To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is (i) reasonably available to Indemnitee, (ii) reasonably necessary and (iii) not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification.  Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to the preceding sentence, a determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made as follows:  (i) if requested by Indemnitee, by Independent Counsel, or (ii) if no request is made by Indemnitee for a determination by Independent Counsel, (A) by the Board by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of the Disinterested Directors, or (B) if a quorum of the Board consisting of Disinterested Directors is not obtainable or, even if obtainable, such quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee, or (C) if a quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs, by the stockholders of the Company.  In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel at the request of Indemnitee, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board unless there shall have occurred within two (2) years prior to the date of the commencement of the action, suit or proceeding for which indemnification is claimed a “Change in Control”, in which case the Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Board.  Any Independent Counsel, member of the Board or stockholder of the Company shall act reasonably and in good faith in making a determination regarding Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement.

(b)           Application to Court.  If (i) the claim for indemnification or advancement of Expenses is denied, in whole or in part, (ii) no disposition of such claim is made by the Company within sixty (60) days after the request therefor, (iii) the advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 6 of this Agreement or (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 5 of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall have the right to apply to the Delaware Court of Chancery, the court in which the Proceeding is or was pending or any other court of competent jurisdiction, for the purpose of enforcing Indemnitee’s right to indemnification (including the advancement of Expenses) pursuant to this Agreement.

(c)           Expenses Related to the Enforcement or Interpretation of this Agreement.  The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all reasonable Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any hearing or proceeding under this Section 8 involving Indemnitee and against all reasonable Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any other proceeding between the Company and Indemnitee involving the interpretation or enforcement of the rights of Indemnitee under this Agreement, unless a court of competent jurisdiction finds that each of the claims and/or defences of Indemnitee in any such proceeding was frivolous or made in bad faith.

9.           Exceptions.  Any other provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated:

  

  

  

(a)           Claims Initiated by Indemnitee.  To indemnify or advance Expenses to Indemnitee with respect to Proceedings or claims initiated or brought voluntarily by Indemnitee and not by way of defense, with a reasonable allocation where appropriate, unless (i) such indemnification is expressly required to be made by law, (ii) the Proceeding was authorized by the Board, (iii) such indemnification is provided by the Company, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware or (iv) the Proceeding is brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification under this Agreement or any other statute or law or otherwise as required under Section 145 in advance of a final determination;

(b)           Lack of Good Faith.  To indemnify Indemnitee for any Expenses incurred by Indemnitee with respect to any Proceeding instituted by Indemnitee to enforce or interpret this Agreement, if a court of competent jurisdiction determines that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee in such Proceeding was not made in good faith or was frivolous;

(c)           Unauthorized Settlements.  To indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of a Proceeding unless the Company provides its prior written consent to such settlement, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld;

(d)           Claims Under Section 16(b).  To indemnify Indemnitee for Expenses associated with any Proceeding related to, or the payment of profits made from, the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law; or

(e)           Payments Contrary to Law.  To indemnify or advance Expenses to Indemnitee for which payment is prohibited by applicable law.

10.           Non-Exclusivity.  The provisions for indemnification and advancement of Expenses set forth in this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights which Indemnitee may have under any provision of law, the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws, the vote of the Company’s stockholders or disinterested directors, other agreements, or otherwise, both as to action in Indemnitee’s official capacity and as to action in another capacity while occupying Indemnitee’s position as an Agent of the Company, and Indemnitee’s rights hereunder shall continue after Indemnitee has ceased acting as an Agent of the Company and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of Indemnitee.

  

  

  

11.           Permitted Defences.  It shall be a defense to any action for which a claim for indemnification is made under this Agreement (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition where the Indemnitee has made an undertaking to repay any amounts advanced in the event that there shall be a final determination that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification by the Company) that the Indemnitee has not met the standard of conduct which makes it permissible under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware for the Company to indemnify the Indemnitee for the amount claimed (but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Company) or that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification because of the limitations set forth in Section 9 hereof.  Neither the failure of the Company (including its Board, Independent Counsel or stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, nor an actual determination by the Company (including its Board, Independent Counsel or stockholders) that the Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

12.           Subrogation.  In the event the Company is obligated to make a payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery under an insurance policy or any other indemnity agreement covering Indemnitee, who shall execute all documents required and take all action that may be necessary to secure such rights and to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights (provided that the Company pays Indemnitee’s costs and expenses of doing so), including without limitation by assigning all such rights to the extent of such indemnification or advancement of Expenses.  

13.           Survival of Rights.

(a)           All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee is an Agent of the Company and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any possible claim or threatened, pending or completed Proceeding by reason of the fact that Indemnitee was serving in the capacity referred to herein.

(b)           The Company shall require any successor to the Company (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.

14.           Interpretation of Agreement.  It is understood that the parties hereto intend this Agreement to be interpreted and enforced so as to provide indemnification to Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law, including those circumstances in which indemnification would otherwise be discretionary.

  

  

  

15.           Severability.  If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever, (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of the Agreement (including, without limitation, all portions of any paragraphs of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that are not themselves invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby, and (ii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, all portions of any paragraph of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that are not themselves invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable and to give effect to Section 15 hereof.

16.           Modification and Waiver.  No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless it is in a writing signed by both of the parties hereto.  No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.

17.           Notice.  All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (a) upon delivery if delivered by hand to the party to whom such notice or other communication shall have been directed, (b) if mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, return receipt requested, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed, (c) one business day after the business day of deposit with a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, specifying next day delivery, with written verification of receipt, or (d) on the same day as delivered by confirmed facsimile transmission if delivered during business hours or on the next successive business day if delivered by confirmed facsimile transmission after business hours.  Addresses for notice to either party shall be as shown on the signature page of this Agreement, or to such other address as may have been furnished by either party in the manner set forth above.

18.           Governing Law.  This Agreement shall be governed exclusively by and construed according to the laws of the State of Delaware as applied to contracts between Delaware residents entered into and to be performed entirely within Delaware.  This Agreement is intended to be an agreement of the type contemplated by Section 145 (f) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

19.           Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.  Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforcement is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO FOLLOW]

 

  

  

  

The parties hereto have entered into this Indemnification Agreement effective as of the date first above written.

 

	  	  
	
Indemnitee:

 

/s/ Robert Knight

 

 

Address:

	
The Company:

 

Axiom Gold and Silver Corp.

 

By: /s/ Robert Knight

 

Title: CEOex10-1.htm

Exhibit 10.1

 

SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

This Securities Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement”) is dated as of May 14, 2012 among AtheroNova Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and each purchaser identified on the signature pages hereto (each, including its successors and assigns, a “Purchaser” and collectively, the “Purchasers”).

 

WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and pursuant to Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Rule 506 promulgated thereunder, the Company desires to issue and sell to each Purchaser, and each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, desires to purchase from the Company, securities of the Company as more fully described in this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each Purchaser agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I.

DEFINITIONS

 

1.1           Definitions.  In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement: (a) capitalized terms that are not otherwise defined herein have the meanings given to such terms in the Notes (as defined herein), and (b) the following terms have the meanings set forth in this Section 1.1:

 

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

 

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

 

“Business Day” means any day except any Saturday, any Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in the State of California are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.

 

“Closing” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1.

 

“Closing Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1.

 

“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed.

 

“Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, rights, options, warrants or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.

 

  

  

  

 

“Company Counsel” means Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP, with offices located at 15260 Ventura Boulevard, 20th Floor, Sherman Oaks, California 91403, Attention: Louis Wharton, fax: (818) 444-6309.

 

“Conversion Price” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in the Notes.

 

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

“GAAP” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(f).

 

“Liens” means a lien, charge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive right or other restriction.

 

“Material Adverse Effect” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.1(a).

 

“Maximum Rate” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 5.15.

 

“Notes” means the 12% Convertible Notes due, subject to the terms therein, September 30, 2012, issued by the Company to the Purchasers hereunder, in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto.

 

“Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

“Required Approvals” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(d).

 

“Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.

 

“SEC Reports” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(f).

 

“Securities” means the Notes, the Warrants and the Underlying Shares.

 

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

  

2

  

 

“Short Sales” means all “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act (but shall not be deemed to include the location and/or reservation of borrowable shares of Common Stock).

 

“Subscription Amount” means, as to each Purchaser, the aggregate amount to be paid for the Notes and the Warrants purchased hereunder as specified below such Purchaser’s name on the signature page of this Agreement and next to the heading “Subscription Amount,” in United States dollars and in immediately available funds.  The initial principal amount of each Purchaser’s Note shall be equal to such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount.

 

“Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Company, including any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company formed or acquired after the date hereof.  The Company’s Subsidiaries as of the Closing Date are listed in Exhibit D hereof.

 

“Subsidiary Guarantee” means the Subsidiary Guarantee, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C, executed by each Subsidiary in favor of the Purchasers, guaranteeing the Company’s obligations under the Notes.

 

“Trading Day” means a day on which the principal Trading Market is open for business.

 

“Trading Market” means the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: NYSE Amex, the NASDAQ Stock Market, the New York Stock Exchange, the OTC Bulletin Board, the OTCQX U.S. or the OTCQB.

 

“Transaction Documents” means this Agreement, the Notes, the Warrants, the Subsidiary Guarantee and all exhibits and schedules thereto and hereto and any other documents or agreements executed in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder.

 

“Transfer Agent” means Securities Transfer Corporation, the current transfer agent of the Company with a mailing address of 2591 Dallas Parkway, Suite 102, Frisco, TX 75034, and a facsimile number of (469) 633-0088, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.

 

“Underlying Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issued and issuable upon conversion or redemption of the Notes and upon exercise of the Warrants and issued and issuable in lieu of the cash payment of interest on the Notes in accordance with the terms of the Notes.

 

“Warrants” means the Common Stock Purchase Warrants delivered to the Purchasers at the Closing in accordance with Section 2.2(a) hereof in the form of Exhibit B attached hereto.

 

“Warrant Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.

 

  

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ARTICLE II.

PURCHASE AND SALE

 

2.1           Closing.  The purchase and sale of the Notes shall take place in one or more closings (each, a “Closing” and the date of each Closing, a “Closing Date”).  The first Closing (the “Initial Closing”) shall take place on May __, 2012, at 10:00 a.m., Pacific Time (the date of the Initial Closing, the “Initial Closing Date”), at the offices of Company Counsel or at such other location or time or on such other date mutually agreed upon by the Company and all of the Purchasers participating therein, subject to the conditions precedent for a Closing as set forth in Section 2.3, and to each party’s obligations hereunder having been satisfied or waived.  The Company may consummate additional Closings within 60 days of the Initial Closing Date.  At the Closings, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees to sell, and the Purchasers, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase, in the aggregate, $1,000,000 in principal amount of the Notes.  On each Closing Date, each Purchaser participating in the applicable Closing shall deliver to the Company, via wire transfer or a certified check, immediately available funds equal to such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount and the Company shall deliver to such Purchaser its respective Note and Warrant, and the Company and the Purchasers shall deliver the other items set forth in Section 2.2.

 

2.2           Deliveries.

 

(a)           On a Closing Date, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to each Purchaser participating in the Closing the following:

 

	
  

	
(i)

	
this Agreement duly executed by the Company;

 

	
  

	(ii) 	a Note with a principal amount equal to such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount, registered in the name of such Purchaser;

 

	
  

	 	(iii)        a Warrant, registered in the name of such Purchaser, to purchase up to a number of shares of Common Stock equal to 20% of such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount; and

 

	
  

	(iv) 	the Subsidiary Guarantee, duly executed by each Subsidiary of the Company.

          

(b)           On a Closing Date, each Purchaser participating in such Closing shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Company the following:

 

	
  

	
(i)

	
this Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser; and

 

	
  

	
(ii)

	such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount by wire transfer to the account as specified in writing by the Company.

 

2.3           Closing Conditions.

 

(a)           The obligations of the Company hereunder in connection with a Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:

 

  

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	 	(i)           the accuracy in all material respects on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the Purchasers contained herein;

 

	
  

	 	(ii)          all obligations, covenants and agreements of each Purchaser required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed; and

 

	
  

	
(iii)

	at the Closing, the delivery by each Purchaser of the items set forth in Section 2.2(b) of this Agreement.

 

(b)          The respective obligations of the Purchasers participating in a Closing hereunder are subject to the following conditions being met:

 

	
  

	
(i)

	the accuracy in all material respects on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein;

 

	
  

	 	(ii)           all obligations, covenants and agreements of the Company required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed; and

 

	
  

	
(iii)

	at the Closing, the delivery by the Company of the items set forth in Section 2.2(a) of this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE III.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

3.1           Representations and Warranties of the Company.  The Company hereby represents and warrants as of the Closing Date to the Purchasers as follows:

 

(a)           Organization and Qualification.  The Company and each Subsidiary is an entity duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization (as applicable), with the requisite power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently conducted.  Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, could not have or reasonably be expected to result in (i) a material adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of any Transaction Document, (ii) a material adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business, prospects or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iii) a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under any Transaction Document (any of (i), (ii) or (iii), a “Material Adverse Effect”) and no action or proceeding has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification.

 

  

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(b)           Authorization; Enforcement.  The Company and the Subsidiaries have the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by each of the Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry out their obligations hereunder and thereunder.  The execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the Subsidiaries and the consummation by them of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and the Subsidiaries and no further action is required by the Company, the Subsidiaries, the Board of Directors, the board of directors of each Subsidiary or their stockholders in connection therewith other than in connection with the Required Approvals.  Each Transaction Document has been (or upon delivery will have been) duly executed by the Company and the Subsidiaries, as applicable, and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company and the Subsidiaries enforceable against the Company and the Subsidiaries in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

 

(c)           No Conflicts.  The execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the Subsidiaries and the consummation by the Company and the Subsidiaries of the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby do not and will not: (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, loan or credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a Company or Subsidiary debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) subject to the Required Approvals, conflict with or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or governmental authority to which the Company or a Subsidiary is subject (including federal and state securities laws and regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company or a Subsidiary is bound or affected; except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), such as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(d)           Filings, Consents and Approvals.  Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority or other Person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company and the Subsidiaries of the Transaction Documents, other than those obtained and/or made prior to or as of the Closing Date, and the filing of Form D with the Commission and such filings as are required to be made under applicable state securities laws (collectively, the “Required Approvals”).

 

  

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(e)           Issuance of the Securities.  The Securities are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the applicable Transaction Documents, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company other than restrictions on transfer provided for in the Transaction Documents.  The Underlying Shares, when issued in accordance with the terms of the Transaction Documents, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company other than restrictions on transfer provided for in the Transaction Documents.  The Company has reserved from its duly authorized capital stock a number of shares of Common Stock for issuance of the Underlying Shares.

 

(f)           SEC Reports; Financial Statements.  To the Company’s knowledge, the Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the 12 months preceding the date hereof (the foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, being collectively referred to herein as the “SEC Reports”).  To the Company’s knowledge, as of their respective dates, the SEC Reports complied as to form in all material respects with the disclosure requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and, to the Company’s knowledge none of the SEC Reports, when filed, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  To the Company’s knowledge the financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Reports comply in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the rules and regulations of the Commission with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing.  Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (“GAAP”), except as may be otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not contain all footnotes required by GAAP, and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of and for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal, immaterial, year-end audit adjustments

 

(g)           Certain Fees.  No brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.  The Purchasers shall have no obligation with respect to any fees or with respect to any claims made by or on behalf of other Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this section that may be due in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

 

3.2           Representations and Warranties of the Purchasers.  Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, hereby represents and warrants as of the Closing Date to the Company as follows:

 

  

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(a)           Organization; Authority.  Such Purchaser is an entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization with full right, corporate or partnership power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder.  The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and performance by such Purchaser of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or similar action on the part of such Purchaser.  Each Transaction Document to which it is a party has been duly executed by such Purchaser, and when delivered by such Purchaser in accordance with the terms hereof, will constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of such Purchaser, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

 

(b)           Own Account.  Such Purchaser understands that the Securities are “restricted securities” and have not been registered under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law and is acquiring the Securities as principal for its own account and not with a view to or for distributing or reselling such Securities or any part thereof in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law, has no present intention of distributing any of such Securities in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law and has no direct or indirect arrangement or understandings with any other persons to distribute or regarding the distribution of such Securities in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law.

 

(c)           Purchaser Status.  At the time such Purchaser was offered the Securities, it was, and at the date hereof it is, and on each date on which it or its permitted assignee exercises any Warrant or converts any Note it or such permitted assignee, as the case may be, will be an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act.  Such Purchaser is not required to be registered as a broker dealer under Section 15 of the Exchange Act.

 

(d)           Experience of Such Purchaser.  Such Purchaser, either alone or together with its representatives, has such knowledge, sophistication and experience in business and financial matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment in the Securities, and has so evaluated the merits and risks of such investment.  Such Purchaser is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities and, at the present time, is able to afford a complete loss of such investment.

 

(e)           General Solicitation.  Such Purchaser is not purchasing the Securities as a result of any advertisement, article, notice or other communication regarding the Securities published in any newspaper, magazine or similar media or broadcast over television or radio or presented at any seminar or any other general solicitation or general advertisement.

 

  

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(f)           Short Sales and Confidentiality Prior To The Date Hereof.  Other than consummating the transactions contemplated hereunder, such Purchaser has not directly or indirectly, nor has any Person acting on behalf of or pursuant to any understanding with such Purchaser, executed any purchases or sales, including Short Sales, of the securities of the Company during the period commencing from the time that such Purchaser first received a term sheet (written or oral) from the Company or any other Person representing the Company setting forth the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereunder until the date hereof (“Discussion Time”).  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a multi-managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage separate portions of such Purchaser’s assets and the portfolio managers have no direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers managing other portions of such Purchaser’s assets, the representation set forth above shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by the portfolio manager that made the investment decision to purchase the Securities covered by this Agreement.  Other than to other Persons party to this Agreement, such Purchaser has maintained the confidentiality of all disclosures made to it in connection with this transaction (including the existence and terms of this transaction).

 

ARTICLE IV.

OTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

 

4.1           Transfer Restrictions.

 

(a)           The Securities may only be disposed of in compliance with state and federal securities laws.  In connection with any transfer of Securities other than pursuant to an effective registration statement or Rule 144, to the Company or to an Affiliate of a Purchaser or in connection with a pledge as contemplated in Section 4.1(b), the Company may require the transferor thereof to provide to the Company an opinion of counsel selected by the transferor and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the form and substance of which opinion shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that such transfer does not require registration of such transferred Securities under the Securities Act.  As a condition of transfer, any such transferee shall agree in writing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement and shall have the rights of a Purchaser under this Agreement.

 

(b)           Each Purchaser agrees to the imprinting, so long as is required by this Section 4.1, of a legend on any of the Securities in the following form:

 

[NEITHER] THIS SECURITY [NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THIS SECURITY IS [EXERCISABLE] [CONVERTIBLE]] HAS [NOT] BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.  THIS SECURITY [AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON [EXERCISE] [CONVERSION] OF THIS SECURITY] MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER LOAN SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES.

 

  

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The Company acknowledges and agrees that a Purchaser may from time to time pledge pursuant to a bona fide margin agreement with a registered broker-dealer or grant a security interest in some or all of the Securities to a financial institution that is an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act and who agrees to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement and, if required under the terms of such arrangement, such Purchaser may transfer pledged or secured Securities to the pledgees or secured parties.  Such a pledge or transfer would not be subject to approval of the Company and no legal opinion of legal counsel of the pledgee, secured party or pledgor shall be required in connection therewith.  Further, no notice shall be required of such pledge.  At the appropriate Purchaser’s expense, the Company will execute and deliver such reasonable documentation as a pledgee or secured party of Securities may reasonably request in connection with a pledge or transfer of the Securities, including, if the Securities are subject to a registration statement filed under the Securities Act, the preparation and filing of any required prospectus supplement under Rule 424(b)(3) under the Securities Act or other applicable provision of the Securities Act to appropriately amend the list of Selling Stockholders thereunder.

 

(c)      Certificates evidencing the Underlying Shares shall not contain any legend (including the legend set forth in Section 4.1(b) hereof), except for any legend reasonably referring to any applicable transfer restrictions under state securities laws: (i) while a registration statement covering the resale of such security is effective under the Securities Act, or (ii) if such Underlying Shares are eligible for resale under Rule 144 and the holder thereof is not an Affiliate of the Company, or (iii) if such legend is not required under applicable requirements of the Securities Act (including judicial interpretations and pronouncements issued by the staff of the Commission).  If required by the Transfer Agent to effect the removal of the legend hereunder, the Company shall cause its counsel to issue a legal opinion to the Transfer Agent promptly after the date which is six months following the applicable Closing Date (if the Company has been subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act for the then preceding 90 days and has filed all reports required to be filed thereunder during the then preceding 12 months (or such shorter period that the Company was required to file such reports) and the holder thereof is not an Affiliate of the Company).  If all or any portion of any Note or any Warrant is converted or exercised (as applicable) at a time when there is an effective registration statement to cover the resale of the Underlying Shares, or if such Underlying Shares may be sold under Rule 144 or if such legend is not otherwise required under applicable requirements of the Securities Act (including judicial interpretations and pronouncements issued by the staff of the Commission) then such Underlying Shares shall be issued free of all legends, except for any legend reasonably referring to any applicable transfer restrictions under state securities laws.  The Company may not make any notation on its records or give instructions to the Transfer Agent that enlarge the restrictions on transfer set forth in this section.

 

  

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(d)           Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, agrees that such Purchaser will sell any Securities pursuant to either Rule 144 or the registration requirements of the Securities Act, including any applicable prospectus delivery requirements, or an exemption therefrom, and that if Securities are sold pursuant to a registration statement filed under the Securities Act, they will be sold in compliance with the plan of distribution set forth therein, and acknowledges that the removal of the restrictive legend from certificates representing Securities as set forth in this Section 4.1 is predicated upon the Company’s reliance upon this understanding.

 

4.2           Acknowledgment of Dilution.  The Company acknowledges that the issuance of the Securities may result in dilution of the outstanding shares of Common Stock.  The Company further acknowledges that its obligations under the Transaction Documents, including without limitation its obligation to issue the Underlying Shares pursuant to the Transaction Documents, are unconditional and absolute and not subject to any right of set off, counterclaim, delay or reduction, regardless of the effect of any such dilution or any claim the Company may have against any Purchaser and regardless of the dilutive effect that such issuance may have on the ownership of the other stockholders of the Company.

 

4.3           Conversion and Exercise Procedures.  The form of Notice of Exercise included in the Warrants and the form of Notice of Conversion included in the Notes set forth the totality of the procedures required of the Purchasers in order to exercise the Warrants or convert the Notes.  No additional legal opinion or other information or instructions shall be required of the Purchasers to exercise the Warrants or convert the Notes.  The Company shall honor exercises of the Warrants and conversions of the Notes and shall deliver Underlying Shares in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the Transaction Documents.

 

4.4           Use of Proceeds.  The Company shall use the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder for working capital purposes and shall not use such proceeds for (a) the satisfaction of any portion of the Company’s debt (other than payment of trade payables in the ordinary course of the Company’s business and prior practices), (b) the redemption of any Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents or (c) the settlement of any outstanding litigation.

 

4.5           Form D; Blue Sky Filings.  The Company agrees to timely file a Form D with respect to the Securities as required under Regulation D and to provide a copy thereof, promptly upon the request of the Purchaser.  The Company shall take such action as the Company shall reasonably determine is necessary in order to obtain an exemption for, or to qualify the Securities for, sale to the Purchasers at the Closing under applicable securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states of the United States, and shall provide evidence of such actions promptly upon the request of any Purchaser.

 

4.6           Additional Guarantors.   The Company shall cause each of its Subsidiaries, including those formed or acquired on or after the date hereof, to execute and deliver to the Purchasers the Subsidiary Guarantee.

 

  

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ARTICLE V.

MISCELLANEOUS

 

5.1           Fees and Expenses.  Each party shall pay the fees and expenses of its advisers, counsel, accountants and other experts, if any, and all other expenses incurred by such party incident to the negotiation, preparation, execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement.  The Company shall pay all transfer agent fees, stamp taxes and other taxes and duties levied in connection with the delivery of any Securities to the Purchasers.

 

5.2           Entire Agreement.  The Transaction Documents, together with the exhibits and schedules thereto, contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the parties acknowledge have been merged into such documents, exhibits and schedules.

 

5.3           Notices.  Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (a) the date of transmission or delivery, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number, or delivered by a U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service to the address, set forth on the signature pages attached hereto prior to 5:30 p.m. (Pacific time) on a Trading Day, (b) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number, or delivered by such courier service to the address, set forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (Pacific time) on any Trading Day, or (c) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given.  The address for such notices and communications shall be as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto.

 

5.4           Amendments; Waivers.  No provision of this Agreement may be waived, modified, supplemented or amended except in a written instrument signed, in the case of an amendment, by the Company and the Purchasers of at least a majority in interest of the Securities still held by the Purchasers or, in the case of a waiver, by the party against whom enforcement of any such waived provision is sought.  No waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right.

 

5.5           Headings.  The headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

 

5.6           Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns.  The Company may not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Purchaser (other than by merger).  Any Purchaser may assign any or all of its rights under this Agreement to any Person to whom such Purchaser assigns or transfers any Securities, provided that such transferee agrees in writing to be bound, with respect to the transferred Securities, by the provisions of the Transaction Documents that apply to the “Purchasers.”

 

  

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5.7           No Third-Party Beneficiaries.  This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person.

 

5.8           Governing Law.  All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of the Transaction Documents shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of California, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof.  Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and any other Transaction Documents (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the County of Los Angeles.  Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the County of Los Angeles for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect to the enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such proceeding.  Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof.  Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.  If either party shall commence an action or proceeding to enforce any provisions of the Transaction Documents, then the prevailing party in such action or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding.

 

5.9            Survival.  The representations and warranties shall survive the Closings and the delivery of the Securities for the applicable statute of limitations.

 

5.10          Execution.  This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party, it being understood that both parties need not sign the same counterpart.  In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” or other document image format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile or “.pdf” or other document image format data file signature page were an original thereof.

 

  

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5.11          Severability.  If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction.  It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.

 

5.12          Replacement of Securities.  If any certificate or instrument evidencing any Securities is mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall issue or cause to be issued in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation thereof (in the case of mutilation), or in lieu of and substitution therefor, a new certificate or instrument, but only upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of such loss, theft or destruction.  The applicant for a new certificate or instrument under such circumstances shall also pay any reasonable third-party costs (including customary indemnity) associated with the issuance of such replacement Securities.

 

5.13          Remedies.  In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or granted by law, including recovery of damages, each of the Purchasers and the Company will be entitled to specific performance under the Transaction Documents.  The parties agree that monetary damages may not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of any breach of obligations contained in the Transaction Documents and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert in any action for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

 

5.14          Payment Set Aside.  To the extent that the Company makes a payment to any Purchaser pursuant to any Transaction Document or a Purchaser enforces or exercises its rights thereunder, and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, disgorged by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver or any other person under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or setoff had not occurred.

 

  

14

  

 

5.15          Usury.  To the extent it may lawfully do so, the Company hereby agrees not to insist upon or plead or in any manner whatsoever claim, and will resist any and all efforts to be compelled to take the benefit or advantage of, usury laws wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, in connection with any claim, action or proceeding that may be brought by any Purchaser in order to enforce any right or remedy under any Transaction Document.  Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in any Transaction Document, it is expressly agreed and provided that the total liability of the Company under the Transaction Documents for payments in the nature of interest shall not exceed the maximum lawful rate authorized under applicable law (the “Maximum Rate”), and, without limiting the foregoing, in no event shall any rate of interest or default interest, or both of them, when aggregated with any other sums in the nature of interest that the Company may be obligated to pay under the Transaction Documents exceed such Maximum Rate.  It is agreed that if the maximum contract rate of interest allowed by law and applicable to the Transaction Documents is increased or decreased by statute or any official governmental action subsequent to the date hereof, the new maximum contract rate of interest allowed by law will be the Maximum Rate applicable to the Transaction Documents from the effective date forward, unless such application is precluded by applicable law.  If under any circumstances whatsoever, interest in excess of the Maximum Rate is paid by the Company to any Purchaser with respect to indebtedness evidenced by the Transaction Documents, such excess shall be applied by such Purchaser to the unpaid principal balance of any such indebtedness or be refunded to the Company, the manner of handling such excess to be at such Purchaser’s election.

 

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

 

5.17           Construction. The parties agree that each of them and/or their respective counsel has reviewed and had an opportunity to revise the Transaction Documents and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of the Transaction Documents or any amendments hereto.

 

 

(Signature Pages Follow)

 

  

15

  

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

 

	
ATHERONOVA INC. 

 

	
Address for Notice:

 

 

 

	
By:  /s/ Mark Selawski                                                          

     Name:  Mark Selawski

     Title:  Chief Financial Officer

	
Fax: (949) 476-1122

E-mail: mselawski@atheronova.com

 

  

  

  

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by its respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

 

 

	Name of Purchaser: Amir L. Ecker

 

	Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser:	/s/ Amir L. Ecker 	 

 

	Name of Authorized Signatory:  	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	Title of Authorized Signatory:	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	Email Address of Purchaser:  	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	Facsimile Number of Purchaser: 	(610) 975-9973	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	Address for Notice of Purchaser:	800 Newtown Road	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	Address for Delivery of Securities for Purchaser (if not same as address for notice):	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	Subscription Amount: $350,000.00	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	Warrant Shares: 70,000 (20% of Subscription Amount)	 	 

  

  

  

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by its respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

 

 

	Name of Purchaser: ACT Capital Partners, L.P.	 

 

	Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser:	/s/ Amir L. Ecker 	 

 

	Name of Authorized Signatory:  Amir L. Ecker	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	Title of Authorized Signatory:  General Partner	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	Email Address of Purchaser: 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	Facsimile Number of Purchaser: 	(610) 975-9973	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	Address for Notice of Purchaser:	2 Radnor Corporate Center	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	Suite 111	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	Radnor, Pennsylvania 19087	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	Address for Delivery of Securities for Purchaser (if not same as address for notice):	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	Subscription Amount: $350,000.00	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	Warrant Shares: 70,000 (20% of Subscription Amount)	 

 

  

  

  

 

EXHIBIT A

NOTE

 

  

  

  

 

EXHIBIT B

WARRANT

 

  

  

  

EXHIBIT C

SUBSIDIARY GUARANTEE

  

  

  

 

EXHIBIT D

SUBSIDIARIES

AtheroNova Operations, Inc., a Delaware corporation

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