Document:

ex10-3.htm

Exhibit 10.3

CANADIAN EMPLOYEE FORM

REACHLOCAL, INC.

AMENDED AND RESTATED 2008 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

 

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD GRANT NOTICE

 

ReachLocal, Inc., a Delaware corporation, (the “Company”), pursuant to its Amended and Restated 2008 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time (the “Plan”), hereby grants to the holder listed below (“Holder”), an award of restricted stock units (“Restricted Stock Units” or “RSUs”).  Each vested Restricted Stock Unit represents the right to be issued, in accordance with the Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Agreement”), one share of Common Stock.  This award of Restricted Stock Units is subject to all of the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Agreement and the Plan, each of which are incorporated herein by reference.  Unless otherwise defined herein, the terms defined in the Plan shall have the same defined meanings in this Grant Notice and the Agreement.

 

	
Holder:

	
                                                                   

	
Grant Date:

	
                                                                           

	
Total Number of RSUs:

	
                                                                           

	
Vesting Commencement Date:

	
                                                                           

	
Vesting Schedule:

	  
	
Termination:

	
If Holder ceases to be an Employee, Consultant or Director prior to the applicable vesting date, all RSUs that have not become vested on or prior to the date of such termination of services will thereupon be automatically forfeited by Holder without payment of any consideration therefor.

 

By his or her signature and the Company’s signature below, Holder agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Agreement and this Grant Notice.  Holder has reviewed the Agreement, the Plan and this Grant Notice in their entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Grant Notice and fully understands all provisions of this Grant Notice, the Agreement and the Plan.  Holder hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions arising under the Plan, this Grant Notice or the Agreement.

 

	
REACHLOCAL, INC.:

	 	
HOLDER:

	
By:

	  	 	
By:

	  
	
Print Name:

	  	 	
Print Name:

	  
	
Title:

	  	 	
 

	  
	
Address:

	  	 	
Address:

	  
	  	  	 	  	  

 

  

  

  

EXHIBIT A

TO RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD GRANT NOTICE

 

REACHLOCAL, INC. RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT

 

 

ARTICLE 1.

 

GENERAL

 

1.1              Defined Terms.  Wherever the following terms are used in this Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (this “Agreement”), they shall have the meanings specified below, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.  Capitalized terms not specifically defined herein shall have the meanings specified in the ReachLocal, Inc. Amended and Restated 2008 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time (the “Plan”), and the Restricted Stock Unit Award Grant Notice (the “Grant Notice”) to which this Agreement is attached.

 

(a)           “Cause” shall be deemed to exist if the Holder is terminated by the Company or a Subsidiary for any of the following reasons: (i) the Holder’s willful failure to substantially perform the Holder’s duties and responsibilities to the Company or its Subsidiaries, (ii) the Holder’s commission of any act of fraud, embezzlement, dishonesty or any other willful misconduct that has caused material injury to the Company or its Subsidiaries, (iii) unauthorized use or disclosure by the Holder of any proprietary information or trade secrets of the Company, a Subsidiary or any other party to which the Holder owes an obligation of nondisclosure as a result of the Holder’s relationship with the Company or its Subsidiaries, (iv) the Holder’s willful material breach of any of the Holder’s obligations under any written agreement or covenant with the Company or a Subsidiary, or (v) conviction of, or plea of “guilty” or “no contest” to, a felony under the laws of the United States or any state thereof, to the material detriment of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

(b)           “Termination of Consultancy” shall mean the time when the engagement of Holder as a Consultant to the Company or a Subsidiary is terminated for any reason, with or without Cause, including, but not by way of limitation, by resignation, discharge, death, Disability or retirement, but excluding:  (a) terminations where there is a simultaneous employment or continuing employment of Holder by the Company or any Subsidiary, and (b) terminations where there is a simultaneous re-establishment of a consulting relationship or continuing consulting relationship between Holder and the Company or any Subsidiary.  The Administrator, in its absolute discretion, shall determine the effect of all matters and questions relating to Termination of Consultancy, including, but not by way of limitation, the question of whether a particular leave of absence constitutes a Termination of Consultancy.  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Company or any Subsidiary has an absolute and unrestricted right to terminate a Consultant’s service at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without Cause, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in writing.

 

(c)           “Termination of Directorship” shall mean the time when Holder, if he or she is or becomes a Non-Employee Director, ceases to be a Director for any reason, including, but not by way of limitation, a termination by resignation, failure to be elected, death or retirement.  The Board, in its sole and absolute discretion, shall determine the effect of all matters and questions relating to Termination of Directorship with respect to Non-Employee Directors.

 

(d)           “Termination of Employment” shall mean the time when the employee-employer relationship between Holder and the Company or any Subsidiary is terminated for any reason, with or without Cause, including, but not by way of limitation, a termination by resignation, discharge, death, Disability or retirement; but excluding:  (a) terminations where there is a simultaneous reemployment or continuing employment of Holder by the Company or any Subsidiary, and (b) terminations where there is a simultaneous establishment of a consulting relationship or continuing consulting relationship between Holder and the Company or any Subsidiary.  The Administrator, in its absolute discretion, shall determine the effect of all matters and questions relating to Termination of Employment, including, but not by way of limitation, the question of whether a particular leave of absence constitutes a Termination of Employment.

 

  

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(e)           “Termination of Service” shall mean Holder’s Termination of Consultancy, Termination of Directorship or Termination of Employment, as applicable.

 

1.2              Incorporation of Terms of Plan.  The RSUs are subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan which are incorporated herein by reference.  In the event of any inconsistency between the Plan and this Agreement, the terms of the Plan shall control.

 

ARTICLE 2.

 

GRANT OF RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

 

2.1              Grant of RSUs.  Pursuant to the Grant Notice and upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Plan and this Agreement, effective as of the Grant Date set forth in the Grant Notice, ReachLocal, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), has granted to Holder an award of restricted stock units (“Restricted Stock Units” or “RSUs”) under the Plan in consideration of Holder’s past and/or continued employment with or service to the Company or a Subsidiary and for other good and valuable consideration and agrees to issue to Holder one share of Common Stock for each vested Restricted Stock Unit in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Agreement.

 

2.2              Vesting of RSUs.  Only once the RSUs have vested in the manner set forth in Article 2 hereof will Holder have the right to be issued Common Stock under any such RSUs.

 

2.3              Vesting Schedule.  Subject to Section 2.5 hereof, the RSUs shall vest and become nonforfeitable with respect to the applicable portion thereof according to the vesting schedule set forth on the Grant Notice, subject to Holder’s continued status as an Employee, Consultant or Non-Employee Director through the applicable vesting dates, as a condition to the vesting of the applicable installment of the RSUs and the rights and benefits under this Agreement.

 

2.4              Consideration to the Company.  In consideration of the grant of the award of RSUs by the Company, Holder agrees to render faithful and efficient services to the Company or any Subsidiary.  Nothing in the Plan or this Agreement shall confer upon Holder any right to continue in the employ or service of the Company or any Subsidiary or shall interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of the Company and its Subsidiaries, which rights are hereby expressly reserved, to discharge or terminate the services of Holder at any time for any reason whatsoever, with or without Cause, except to the extent expressly provided otherwise in a written agreement between the Company or a Subsidiary and Holder.

 

2.5              Forfeiture, Termination and Cancellation upon Termination of Service.  Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Agreement, upon Holder’s Termination of Service for any or no reason, all Restricted Stock Units which have not vested prior to or in connection with such Termination of Service will thereupon automatically be forfeited, terminated and cancelled as of the applicable termination date without payment of any consideration by the Company, and Holder, or Holder’s beneficiary or personal representative, as the case may be, shall have no further rights hereunder.  No portion of the RSUs which has not become vested as of the date on which the Holder incurs a Termination of Service shall thereafter become vested.

 

  

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2.6              Issue of Common Stock upon Vesting.

 

(a)           As soon as administratively practicable following the vesting of any Restricted Stock Units pursuant to Section 2.3 hereof, but in no event later than thirty (30) days after such vesting date, the Company shall deliver to Holder (or any transferee permitted under Section 3.2 hereof) a number of shares of Common Stock (either by delivering one or more certificates for such shares or by entering such shares in book entry form, as determined by the Company in its sole discretion) equal to the number of RSUs subject to this award that vest on the applicable vesting date, unless such RSUs terminate prior to the given vesting date pursuant to Section 2.5 hereof.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event shares of Common Stock cannot be issued pursuant to Section 11.4 of the Plan, the shares of Common Stock shall be issued pursuant to the preceding sentence as soon as administratively practicable after the Administrator determines that shares of Common Stock can again be issued in accordance with such Section, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan the Company shall satisfy its obligations under this Agreement following the vesting of RSUs solely by issuing shares of Common Stock to a Holder and shall not satisfy its obligations by paying cash to Holder in lieu of issuing shares of Common Stock.

 

(b)           As set forth in Section 11.2 of the Plan, the Company shall have the authority and the right to deduct or withhold, or to require the Holder to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy all applicable taxes required by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event arising in connection with the Restricted Stock Units.  In satisfaction of the foregoing requirement, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, Holder may elect to satisfy such tax-related obligations by delivery of a notice that Holder has placed a market sell order with a broker with respect to shares of Common Stock then issuable to Holder under its vested RSUs, and that the broker has been directed to pay a sufficient portion of the net proceeds of the sale to the Company so that it may satisfy its tax withholding obligations; provided that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company upon settlement of such sale.  The number of shares of Common Stock which shall be so sold in order to satisfy such withholding tax liabilities shall be limited to the number of shares which have a fair market value on the date of issuance to Holder equal to the aggregate amount of such liabilities based on the minimum statutory withholding rates for tax purposes that are applicable to such taxable event. The Company shall not be obligated to deliver any new certificate representing shares of Common Stock to Holder or Holder’s legal representative or enter such share of Common Stock in book entry form unless and until Holder or Holder’s legal representative shall have paid or otherwise satisfied in full the amount of all taxes applicable to the taxable income of Holder resulting from the grant or vesting of the Restricted Stock Units or the issuance of shares of Common Stock.

 

2.7              Conditions to Delivery of Common Stock.  The shares of Common Stock deliverable hereunder may be either previously authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock, treasury shares of Common Stock or issued shares of Common Stock which have then been reacquired by the Company.  Such shares of Common Stock shall be fully paid.  The Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificates or make any book entries evidencing shares of Common Stock deliverable hereunder prior to fulfillment of the conditions set forth in Section 11.4 of the Plan.

 

2.8              Rights as Stockholder.  The holder of the RSUs shall not be, nor have any of the rights or privileges of, a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, voting rights and rights to dividends, in respect of the RSUs and any shares of Common Stock underlying the RSUs and deliverable hereunder unless and until such shares of Common Stock shall have been issued by the Company and held of record by such holder (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company).  No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date the shares of Common Stock are issued, except as provided in Section 13.2 of the Plan.

 

  

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ARTICLE 3.

 

OTHER PROVISIONS

 

3.1              Administration.  The Administrator shall have the power to interpret the Plan and this Agreement and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan as are consistent therewith and to interpret, amend or revoke any such rules.  All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Administrator in good faith shall be final and binding upon Holder, the Company and all other interested persons.  No member of the Committee or the Board shall be personally liable for any action, determination or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan, this Agreement or the RSUs.

 

3.2              Grant is Not Transferable.  During the lifetime of Holder, the RSUs may not be sold, pledged, assigned or transferred in any manner other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution.  Neither the RSUs nor any interest or right therein shall be liable for the debts, contracts or engagements of Holder or his or her successors in interest or shall be subject to disposition by transfer, alienation, anticipation, pledge, encumbrance, assignment or any other means whether such disposition be voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law by judgment, levy, attachment, garnishment or any other legal or equitable proceedings (including bankruptcy), and any attempted disposition thereof shall be null and void and of no effect, except to the extent that such disposition is permitted by the preceding sentence.

 

3.3           Tax Consultation.  Holder understands that Holder may suffer adverse tax consequences in connection with the RSUs granted pursuant to this Agreement (and the shares issuable with respect thereto).  Holder represents that Holder has consulted with any tax consultants Holder deems advisable in connection with the RSUs and the issuance of shares with respect thereto and that Holder is not relying on the Company for any tax advice.

 

3.4           Adjustments. Holder acknowledges that the RSUs are subject to modification and termination in certain events as provided in this Agreement and Article 13 of the Plan.

 

3.5              Binding Agreement.  Subject to the limitation on the transferability of the RSUs contained herein, this Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the heirs, legatees, legal representatives, successors and assigns of the parties hereto.

 

3.6              Notices.  Any notice to be given under the terms of this Agreement to the Company shall be addressed to the Company in care of the Secretary of the Company at the Company’s principal office, and any notice to be given to Holder shall be addressed to Holder at Holder’s last address reflected on the Company’s records.  By a notice given pursuant to this Section 3.6, either party may hereafter designate a different address for notices to be given to that party.  Any notice shall be deemed duly given when sent via email or when sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and deposited (with postage prepaid) in a post office or branch post office regularly maintained by the United States Postal Service.

 

3.7              Holder’s Representations.  If the shares of Common Stock issuable hereunder have not been registered under the Securities Act or any applicable state or foreign laws on an effective registration statement at the time of such issuance, Holder shall, if required by the Company, concurrently with such issuance, make such written representations as are deemed necessary or appropriate by the Company and/or its counsel.

 

  

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3.8              Titles.  Titles are provided herein for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Agreement.

 

3.9              Governing Law.  The laws of the State of Delaware shall govern the interpretation, validity, administration, enforcement and performance of the terms of this Agreement regardless of the law that might be applied under principles of conflicts of laws. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent applicable, the RSUs are intended to be governed by section 7 of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and this Agreement and the Plan shall be interpreted in a manner that fulfills this intention.

 

3.10              Conformity to Securities Laws.  Holder acknowledges that the Plan and this Agreement are intended to conform to the extent necessary with all provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and any and all regulations and rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, and state securities laws and regulations.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Plan shall be administered, and the RSUs are granted, only in such a manner as to conform to such laws, rules and regulations.  To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and this Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such laws, rules and regulations. The distribution of the RSUs and Common Stock in Canada is being and will be made on a private placement basis.  Accordingly, any resale of such Common Stock in that is subject to Canadian securities regulations must be made in accordance with an exemption from prospectus requirements and in compliance with the registration requirements of applicable securities laws.  Recipients of Common Stock are advised to seek legal advice prior to any resale of Common Stock.

 

3.11              Amendments, Suspension and Termination.  To the extent permitted by the Plan, this Agreement may be wholly or partially amended or otherwise modified, suspended or terminated at any time or from time to time by the Committee or the Board; provided that, except as may otherwise be provided by the Plan, no amendment, modification, suspension or termination of this Agreement shall adversely affect the RSUs in any material way without the prior written consent of Holder.

 

3.12              Successors and Assigns.  The Company may assign any of its rights under this Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company.  Subject to the restrictions on transfer herein set forth in Section 3.2 hereof, this Agreement shall be binding upon Holder and his or her heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns.

 

3.13              Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons.  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or this Agreement, if Holder is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Plan, the RSUs and this Agreement shall be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including any amendment to Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule.  To the extent permitted by applicable law, this Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.

 

3.14              Entire Agreement.  The Plan, the Grant Notice and this Agreement constitute the entire agreement of the parties and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Company and Holder with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

3.15              Limitation on Holder’s Rights.  Participation in the Plan confers no rights or interests other than as herein provided.  This Agreement creates only a contractual obligation on the part of the Company as to amounts payable and shall not be construed as creating a trust.  Neither the Plan nor any underlying program, in and of itself, has any assets.  Holder shall have only the rights of a general unsecured creditor of the Company with respect to amounts credited and benefits payable, if any, with respect to the RSUs, and rights no greater than the right to receive the Common Stock as a general unsecured creditor with respect to RSUs, as and when payable hereunder.

 

  

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3.16              Not a Contract of Service Relationship.  Nothing in this Agreement or in the Plan shall confer upon Holder any right to serve or continue to serve as an Employee, Consultant or Director.

 

3.17              Language. The Parties hereto acknowledge that they have requested that this Agreement and all documents ancillary thereto, including all the documentation provided to the grantee in respect of the award, be drafted in the English language only. Les parties aux présentes reconnaissent qu’elles ont exigé que la présente convention et tous les documents y afférents, y compris toute la documentation transmise au bénéficiaire relativement à l’octroi des droits prévu aux présentes, soient rédigés en langue anglaise seulement.

 

A-6ex10-36.htm

Exhibit 10.36

 

 

CARDICA, INC.

Common Stock

(par value $0.001 per share)

At the Market Issuance Sales Agreement

 

August 3, 2011

 

McNicoll, Lewis & Vlak LLC

1251 Avenue of the Americas, 41st Floor

New York, NY  10020

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Cardica, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with McNicoll, Lewis & Vlak LLC (“MLV”), as follows:

 

1.             Issuance and Sale of Shares.  The Company agrees that, from time to time during the term of this Agreement and on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, it may issue and sell through MLV, shares (the “Placement Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”) up to an aggregate offering price of $10,000,000; provided, however, that in no event shall the Company issue or sell through MLV such number of Placement Shares that (a) would cause the Company not to satisfy the eligibility requirements for use of Form S-3 (including instruction I.B.6 thereof), (b) exceeds the number of shares of Common Stock registered on the effective Registration Statement (as defined below) pursuant to which the offering is being made, or (c) exceeds the number of authorized but unissued shares of the Common Stock (the lesser of (a), (b) or (c), the “Maximum Amount”).  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the parties hereto agree that compliance with the limitations set forth in this Section 1 on the amount of Placement Shares issued and sold under this Agreement shall be the sole responsibility of the Company and that MLV shall have no obligation in connection with such compliance.  The issuance and sale of Placement Shares through MLV will be effected pursuant to the Registration Statement filed by the Company and declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), although nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as requiring the Company to use the Registration Statement to issue any Placement Shares.

 

  

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The Company has filed, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “Securities Act Regulations”), with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-171197), including a base prospectus, relating to certain securities, including the Placement Shares to be issued from time to time by the Company, and which incorporates by reference documents that the Company has filed or will file in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations thereunder.  The Company has prepared a prospectus supplement to the base prospectus included as part of such registration statement specifically relating to the Placement Shares (the “Prospectus Supplement”).  The Company will furnish to MLV, for use by MLV, copies of the prospectus included as part of such registration statement, as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, relating to the Placement Shares.  Except where the context otherwise requires, such registration statement, including all documents filed as part thereof or incorporated by reference therein, and including any information contained in a Prospectus (as defined below) subsequently filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act Regulations or deemed to be a part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B of the Securities Act Regulations, is herein called the “Registration Statement.”  The base prospectus, including all documents incorporated therein by reference, included in the Registration Statement, as it may be supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, in the form in which such prospectus and/or Prospectus Supplement have most recently been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act Regulations, together with any then issued Issuer Free Writing Prospectus(es) (as defined below), is herein called the “Prospectus.” Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein, and any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing after the execution hereof of any document with the Commission deemed to be incorporated by reference therein (the “Incorporated Documents”).

 

For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or to any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to include the most recent copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System, or if applicable, the Interactive Data Electronic Application system when used by the Commission (collectively, “EDGAR”).

 

2.             Placements.  Each time that the Company wishes to issue and sell Placement Shares hereunder (each, a “Placement”), it will notify MLV by email notice (or other method mutually agreed to in writing by the Parties), a form of which notice is attached hereto as Schedule 1 (a “Placement Notice”) of the proposed terms of such Placement, which shall at a minimum include the number of Placement Shares, the time period during which sales are requested to be made, any limitation on the number of Placement Shares that may be sold in any one day and any minimum price below which sales may not be made.  The Placement Notice shall originate from any of the individuals from the Company set forth on Schedule 3 (with a copy to each of the other individuals from the Company listed on such schedule), and shall be addressed to each of the individuals from MLV set forth on Schedule 3, as such Schedule 3 may be amended from time to time.  The Placement Notice shall be effective unless and until (i) MLV declines to accept the terms contained therein within one business day from the time the Placement Notice is received for any reason, in its sole discretion, (ii) the entire amount of the Placement Shares thereunder have been sold, (iii) the Company suspends or terminates the Placement Notice or (iv) the Agreement has been terminated under the provisions of Section 13.  The amount of any discount, commission or other compensation to be paid by the Company to MLV in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares shall be calculated in accordance with the terms set forth in Schedule 2.  It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that neither the Company nor MLV will have any obligation whatsoever with respect to a Placement or any Placement Shares unless and until the Company delivers a Placement Notice to MLV and MLV does not decline such Placement Notice pursuant to the terms set forth above, and then only upon the terms specified therein and herein.  In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of a Placement Notice, the terms of the Placement Notice will control.

 

  

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3.             Sale of Placement Shares by MLV.

 

(a)           Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, MLV, for the period specified in the Placement Notice, will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations and the rules of the NASDAQ Global Market (the “Exchange”), to sell the Placement Shares up to the amount specified, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of such Placement Notice.  MLV will provide written confirmation to the Company no later than the opening of the Trading Day (as defined below) immediately following the Trading Day on which it has made sales of Placement Shares hereunder setting forth the number of Placement Shares sold on such day, the compensation payable by the Company to MLV pursuant to Schedule 2 with respect to such sales, and the Net Proceeds (as defined below) payable to the Company, with an itemization of the deductions made by MLV (as set forth in Section 5(a)) from the gross proceeds that it receives from such sales.  Subject to the terms of the Placement Notice, MLV agrees that all sales of Placement Shares by MLV will be made only by methods deemed to be an “at the market” offering as defined in Rule 415 of the Securities Act Regulations, including without limitation sales made directly on the Exchange, on any other existing trading market for the Common Stock or to or through a market maker (an “At The Market Offering”).  Subject to the terms of a Placement Notice, MLV may also sell Placement Shares by any other method permitted by law, including but not limited to in privately negotiated transactions, subject to prior written approval by the Company.  “Trading Day” means any day on which Common Stock are purchased and sold on the Exchange.

 

(b)           During the term of this Agreement, neither MLV nor any of its affiliates or subsidiaries shall engage in (i) any short sale of any security of the Company, (ii) any sale of any security of the Company that MLV does not own or any sale which is consummated by the delivery of a security of the Company borrowed by, or for the account of, MLV or (iii) any market making, bidding, stabilization or other trading activity with regard to the Common Stock if such activity would be prohibited under Regulation M or other anti-manipulation rules under the Securities Act.  Neither MLV nor any of its affiliates or subsidiaries, shall engage in any proprietary trading or trading for MLV’s (or its affiliates’ or subsidiaries’) own account. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) there can be no assurance that MLV will be successful in selling Placement Shares, (ii) MLV will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if it does not sell Placement Shares for any reason other than a failure by MLV to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and regulations to sell such Placement Shares as required under this Agreement and (iii) MLV shall be under no obligation to purchase Placement Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise agreed by MLV and the Company.

 

4.             Suspension of Sales.  The Company or MLV may, upon notice to the other party in writing (including by email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other Party set forth on Schedule 3, if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply) or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable facsimile transmission or email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other Party set forth on Schedule 3), suspend any sale of Placement Shares; provided, however, that such suspension shall not affect or impair any party’s obligations with respect to any Placement Shares sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice.  Each of the parties agrees that no such notice under this Section 4 shall be effective against any other party unless it is made to one of the individuals named on Schedule 3 hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time.

 

  

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5.             Sale and Delivery; Settlement.

 

(a)           Settlement of Placement Shares. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Placement Notice, settlement for sales of Placement Shares will occur on the third (3rd) Trading Day (or such earlier day as is industry practice for regular-way trading) following the date on which such sales are made (each, a “Settlement Date”).  The amount of proceeds to be delivered to the Company on a Settlement Date against receipt of the Placement Shares sold (the “Net Proceeds”) will be equal to the aggregate sales price received by MLV, after deduction for (i) MLV’s commission, discount or other compensation for such sales payable by the Company pursuant to Section 2 hereof, and (ii) any transaction fees imposed by any governmental or self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales.

 

(b)            Delivery of Placement Shares.  On or before each Settlement Date, the Company will, or will cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Placement Shares being sold by crediting MLV’s or its designee’s account (provided MLV shall have given the Company written notice of such designee a reasonable period of time prior to the Settlement Date) at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian System or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto which in all cases shall be freely tradable, transferable, registered shares in good deliverable form.  On each Settlement Date, MLV will deliver the related Net Proceeds in same day funds to an account designated by the Company on, or prior to, the Settlement Date.  The Company agrees that if the Company, or its transfer agent (if applicable), defaults in its obligation to deliver Placement Shares on a Settlement Date through no fault of MLV, the Company agrees that in addition to and in no way limiting the rights and obligations set forth in Section 11(a) hereto, it will (i) hold MLV harmless against any loss, claim, damage, or expense (including reasonable legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company or its transfer agent (if applicable) and (ii) pay to MLV (without duplication) any commission, discount, or other compensation to which it would otherwise have been entitled absent such default.

 

(c)            Limitations on Offering Size.  Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares if, after giving effect to the sale of such Placement Shares, the aggregate offering amount of Placement Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement would exceed the lesser of (A) together with all sales of Placement Shares under this Agreement, the Maximum Amount, (B) the amount available for offer and sale under the currently effective Registration Statement and (C) the amount authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this Agreement by the Company’s board of directors, a duly authorized committee thereof or a duly authorized executive committee, and notified to MLV in writing.  Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement at a price lower than the minimum price authorized from time to time by the Company’s board of directors, a duly authorized committee thereof or a duly authorized executive committee, and notified to MLV in writing.  Further, under no circumstances shall the Company cause or permit the aggregate offering amount of Placement Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement to exceed the Maximum Amount.

 

  

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6.             Representations and Warranties of the Company.  The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with MLV that as of the date of this Agreement and as of each Applicable Time (as defined below), unless such representation, warranty or agreement specifies a different time:

 

(a)            Registration Statement and Prospectus.  The Company and, assuming no act or omission on the part of MLV that would make such statement untrue, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement meet the requirements for and comply with the conditions for the use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act.  The Registration Statement has been filed with the Commission and has been declared effective under the Securities Act.  The Prospectus Supplement will name MLV as the agent in the section entitled “Plan of Distribution.” The Company has not received, and has no notice of, any order of the Commission preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, or threatening or instituting proceedings for that purpose.  The Registration Statement and the offer and sale of Placement Shares as contemplated hereby meet the requirements of Rule 415 under the Securities Act and comply in all material respects with said Rule.  Any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement have been so described or filed.  Copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and any such amendments or supplements and all documents incorporated by reference therein that were filed with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement have been delivered, or are available through EDGAR, to MLV and its counsel.  The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of each Settlement Date and completion of the distribution of the Placement Shares, will not distribute any offering material in connection with the offering or sale of the Placement Shares other than the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to which MLV has consented, any such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.  The Common Stock is currently listed on the Exchange under the trading symbol “CRDC”.  Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, including the Incorporated Documents, the Company has not, in the 12 months preceding the date hereof, received notice from the Exchange to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements.  Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, including the Incorporated Documents, or the Prospectus, the Company has no reason to believe that it will not in the foreseeable future continue to be in compliance with all such listing and maintenance requirements.

 

(b)            No Misstatement or Omission.  The Registration Statement, when it became effective, and the Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, on the date of such Prospectus or amendment or supplement, conformed and will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act.  At each Settlement Date, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as of such date, will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act.  The Registration Statement, when it became or becomes effective, did not, and will not, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.  The Prospectus and any amendment and supplement thereto, on the date thereof and at each Applicable Time, did not or will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement did not, and any further documents filed and incorporated by reference therein will not, when filed with the Commission, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated in such document or necessary to make the statements in such document, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  The foregoing shall not apply to statements in, or omissions from, any such document made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished to the Company by MLV expressly for use therein.

 

  

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(c)            Conformity with Securities Act and Exchange Act.  The Registration Statement and the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, and the documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, when such documents were or are filed with the Commission under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or became or become effective under the Securities Act, as the case may be, conformed or will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable.

 

(d)            Financial Information.  The consolidated financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, together with the related notes and schedules, complied as to form in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the Commission with respect thereto as in effect as of the time of filing. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) consistently applied, during the periods involved (except (i) as may be otherwise indicated in such financial statements or the notes thereto, or (ii) in the case of unaudited interim statements, to the extent they may exclude footnotes or may be condensed or summary statements) and fairly present, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company as of the dates indicated and the consolidated results of operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity of the Company for the periods specified (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments); the other financial data with respect to the Company contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus are accurately and fairly presented and prepared on a basis consistent with the financial statements and books and records of the Company; there are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, or the Prospectus that are not included or incorporated by reference as required; the Company does not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), not described in the Registration Statement (including the exhibits thereto and Incorporated Documents), and the Prospectus which are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (including Exhibits thereto and Incorporated Documents); and all disclosures contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, to the extent applicable;

 

(e)            Conformity with EDGAR Filing.  The Prospectus delivered to MLV for use in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement will be identical to the versions of the Prospectus created to be transmitted to the Commission for filing via EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

  

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(f)            Organization.  The Company is, and will be, duly organized, validly existing as a corporation and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization.  The Company is, and will be, duly qualified as a foreign corporation for transaction of business and in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, and has all corporate power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect or reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the assets, business, operations, earnings, properties, condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, stockholders’ equity as reported on the Company’s most recent balance sheet or results of operations of the Company taken as a whole, or prevent or materially interfere with consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (a “Material Adverse Effect”).

 

(g)            Subsidiaries.  The Company has no subsidiaries (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the Commission).

 

(h)            No Violation or Default. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company is not (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  Except as described in the Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Incorporated Documents, to the Company’s knowledge, no other party under any material contract or other agreement to which it is a party is in default in any respect thereunder where such default would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

  

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(i)           No Material Adverse Change.  Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus there has not been (i) any Material Adverse Effect, (ii) other than this Agreement, any transaction which is material to the Company taken as a whole, (iii) any obligation or liability, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), incurred by the Company, which is material to the Company taken as a whole, (iv) any material change in the capital stock (other than (a) as a result of the sale of Placement Shares ,(b) as described in a proxy statement filed on Schedule 14A or a Registration Statement on Form S-4 and otherwise publicly announced or (c) changes in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise or conversion of securities exercisable for, or convertible into, shares of Common Stock outstanding on the date hereof, or the vesting of restricted stock units outstanding on the date hereof) or outstanding long-term indebtedness of the Company or (v) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on the capital stock of the Company, other than in each case above (A) in the ordinary course of business, (B) as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus (including any document deemed incorporated by reference therein) or (C) where such matter, item, change, or development would not make the statements in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

(j)             Capitalization.  The issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and, other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, are not subject to any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or similar rights.  The Company has an authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as of the dates referred to therein (other than the grant of additional options or restricted stock units or stock awards under the Company’s existing stock option plans, or changes in the number of outstanding Common Stock of the Company due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise or conversion of securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Stock or as a result of the issuance of Placement Shares) and such authorized capital stock conforms in all material respects to the description thereof set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.  The description of the Common Stock in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus is complete and accurate in all material respects.  Except as disclosed in or contemplated by the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as of the date referred to therein, the Company did not have outstanding any options to purchase, or any rights or warrants to subscribe for, or any securities or obligations convertible into, or exchangeable for, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell, any shares of capital stock or other securities.

 

(k)           Authorization; Enforceability.  The Company has full legal right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and perform the transactions contemplated hereby.  This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that (i) enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles and (ii) the indemnification and contribution provisions of Section 11 hereof may be limited by federal or state securities laws and public policy considerations in respect thereof.

 

(l)            Authorization of Placement Shares.  The Placement Shares, when issued and delivered pursuant to the terms approved by the board of directors of the Company or a duly authorized committee thereof, or a duly authorized executive, against payment therefor as provided herein, will be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of any pledge, lien, encumbrance, security interest or other claim (other than any pledge, lien, encumbrance, security interest or other claim arising from an act or omission of MLV or a purchaser), including any statutory or contractual preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights, and will be registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act.  The Placement Shares, when issued, will conform in all material respects to the description thereof set forth in or incorporated into the Prospectus.

 

  

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(m)           No Consents Required.  No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or any governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, or the issuance and sale by the Company of the Placement Shares as contemplated hereby, except for such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities laws or by the by-laws and rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) or the Exchange in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares by MLV.

 

(n)           No Preferential Rights.  Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (i) no person, as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act (each, a “Person”), has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Company to issue or sell to such Person any Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company (other than upon the exercise of options or warrants to purchase Common Stock or upon the exercise of options or vesting of restricted stock units or stock awards that may be granted from time to time under the Company’s stock option plans), (ii) no Person has any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal, or any other rights (whether pursuant to a “poison pill” provision or otherwise) to purchase any Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company from the Company which have not been duly waived with respect to the offering contemplated hereby, (iii) except as disclosed to MLV in writing, no Person has the right to act as an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Company in connection with the offer and sale of the Common Stock, and (iv) no Person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to require the Company to register under the Securities Act any Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company, or to include any such shares or other securities in the Registration Statement or the offering contemplated thereby, whether as a result of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the sale of the Placement Shares as contemplated thereby or otherwise.

 

(o)           Independent Public Accountant.  Ernst & Young LLP (the “Accountant”), whose report on the consolidated financial statements of the Company is filed with the Commission as part of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission and incorporated into the Registration Statement, is and, during the periods covered by their report, was an independent public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).  To the Company’s knowledge, the Accountant is not in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) with respect to the Company.

 

(p)           Enforceability of Agreements.  To the Company’s knowledge, all agreements between the Company and third parties expressly referenced in the Prospectus, other than such agreements that have expired by their terms or whose termination is disclosed in documents filed by the Company on EDGAR, are legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, except to the extent that (i) enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles and (ii) the indemnification provisions of certain agreements may be limited by federal or state securities laws or public policy considerations in respect thereof, except for any unenforceability that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

  

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(q)           No Litigation.  Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings pending, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, to which the Company or a Subsidiary is a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement (collectively, the “Actions”); to the Company’s knowledge, no such Actions are threatened or contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (i) there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings or, to the Company’s knowledge, investigations that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Prospectus that are not described in the Prospectus including any Incorporated Document; and (ii) there are no contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not so filed.

 

(r)            Licenses and Permits.  Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company possesses or has obtained, all governmental licenses, certificates, consents, orders, approvals, permits and other authorizations necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (the “Permits”), except where the failure to possess, obtain or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company has not received written notice of any proceeding relating to revocation or modification of any such Permit or has any reason to believe that such Permit will not be renewed in the ordinary course, except where the failure to obtain any such renewal would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(s)           Market Capitalization.  Based on the last sales price of the Common Stock as of the close of trading on the Exchange on August 2, 2011, the aggregate market value of the outstanding Common Stock held by persons other than affiliates of the Company was $60 million.

 

(t)           No Material Defaults.  The Company has not defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  The Company has not filed a report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the filing of its last Annual Report on Form 10-K, indicating that it (i) has failed to pay any dividend or sinking fund installment on preferred stock or (ii) has defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

  

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(u)           Certain Market Activities.  The Company, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its directors, officers or controlling persons has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed, or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Placement Shares.

 

(v)           Broker/Dealer Relationships.  Neither the Company nor any related entities (i) is required to register as a “broker” or “dealer” in accordance with the provisions of the Exchange Act or (ii) directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is a “person associated with a member” or “associated person of a member” (within the meaning set forth in the FINRA Manual).

 

(w)           No Reliance.  The Company has not relied upon MLV or legal counsel for MLV for any legal, tax or accounting advice in connection with the offering and sale of the Placement Shares.

 

(x)            Taxes.  Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company has filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns which have been required to be filed and paid all taxes shown thereon through the date hereof, to the extent that such taxes have become due and are not being contested in good faith, except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  Except as otherwise disclosed in or contemplated by the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company which has had, or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.  The Company has no knowledge of any federal, state or other governmental tax deficiency, penalty or assessment which has been asserted or threatened against it that would have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(y)            Title to Real and Personal Property.  Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company has good and marketable title in fee simple to all items of real property and good and valid title to all personal property (excluding Intellectual Property, which is discussed in Section 6(z) below) described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus as being owned by it that are material to the business of the Company, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and claims, except  for any failure to have good and marketable title for any liens, encumbrances and claims that (i) do not materially interfere with the use made of such property by the Company or (ii) would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.  Any real property described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus as being leased by the Company is held by them under valid, existing and enforceable leases, except those that (A) do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company or (B) would not be reasonably expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

  

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(z)            Intellectual Property.  Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, to the Company’s knowledge, the Company owns or possesses adequate rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks (both registered and unregistered), service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”), necessary for the conduct of its business as conducted as of the date hereof, except to the extent that the failure to own or possess adequate rights to use such Intellectual Property would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; except as disclosed in writing to MLV, the Company has not received any written notice of any claim of infringement or conflict which asserted Intellectual Property rights of others, which infringement or conflict would result in a Material Adverse Effect; there are no pending, or to the Company’s knowledge, threatened judicial proceedings or interference proceedings against the Company challenging the Company’s rights in or to or the validity of the scope of any of the Company’s owned material patents, patent applications or proprietary information, except such proceedings that have been disclosed in writing to MLV and would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  To the Company’s knowledge, no other entity or individual has any right or claim in any of the Company’s owned material patents, patent applications or any patent to be issued therefrom by virtue of any contract, license or other agreement entered into between such entity or individual and the Company or by any non-contractual obligation of the Company, other than by written licenses granted by the Company, except for such right or claim that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company has not received any written notice of any claim challenging the rights of the Company in or to any Intellectual Property owned, licensed or optioned by the Company which claim would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(aa)          Environmental Laws.  Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company (i) is in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules, regulations, decisions and orders relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (ii) has received and is in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and (iii) has not received notice of any actual or potential liability for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except, in the case of any of clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) above, for any such failure to comply or failure to receive required permits, licenses, other approvals or liability as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

  

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(bb)         Disclosure Controls.  The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls designed to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.  The Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting (other than as set forth in the Prospectus).  Since the date of the latest audited financial statements of the Company included in the Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (other than as set forth in the Prospectus).  The Company has established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15) for the Company and designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that material information relating to the Company is made known to the certifying officers by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as the case may be, is being prepared.  The Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of the Form 10-K for the fiscal year most recently ended (such date, the “Evaluation Date”).  The Company presented in its Form 10-K for the fiscal year most recently ended the conclusions of the certifying officers about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on their evaluations as of the Evaluation Date.  Since the Evaluation Date, there have been no significant changes in the Company’s internal controls (as such term is defined in Item 307(b) of Regulation S-K under the Act) or, to the Company’s knowledge, in other factors that could significantly affect the Company’s internal controls.  To the knowledge of the Company, the Company’s “internal controls over financial reporting” and “disclosure controls and procedures” are effective.

 

(cc)          Sarbanes-Oxley.  Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, there is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.  Each of the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer of the Company (or each former principal executive officer of the Company and each former principal financial officer of the Company as applicable) has made all certifications required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act with respect to all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by it or furnished by it to the Commission.  For purposes of the preceding sentence, “principal executive officer” and “principal financial officer” shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

(dd)         Finder’s Fees.  The Company has not incurred any liability for any finder’s fees, brokerage commissions or similar payments in connection with the transactions herein contemplated, except as may otherwise exist with respect to MLV pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(ee)          Labor Disputes.  Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, no labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ff)           Investment Company Act.  The Company is not, nor, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Placement Shares, will be an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company,” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).

 

  

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(gg)         Operations.  The operations of the Company is and has been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions to which the Company is subject, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency having jurisdiction over the Company (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(hh)         Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements.  There are no transactions, arrangements and other relationships between and/or among the Company, and/or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of its affiliates and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any structural finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity (each, an “Off Balance Sheet Transaction”) that would reasonably be expected to affect materially the Company’s liquidity or the availability of or requirements for its capital resources, including those Off Balance Sheet Transactions described in the Commission’s Statement about Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations (Release Nos.  33-8056; 34-45321; FR-61), in each case that are required to be described in the Prospectus which have not been described as required.

 

(ii)            Underwriter Agreements.  The Company is not a party to any agreement with an agent or underwriter for any other At The Market Offering transaction; provided, however, that a committed equity financing facility or similar transaction shall not constitute an At The Market Offering transaction.

 

(jj)            ERISA. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, to the knowledge of the Company, (i) each material employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company (other than a Multiemployer Plan, within the meaning of Section 3(37) of ERISA) for employees or former employees of the Company has been maintained in material compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”); (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any such plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; and (iii) for each such plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no “accumulated funding deficiency” as defined in Section 412 of the Code has been incurred, whether or not waived, and the fair market value of the assets of each such plan (excluding for these purposes accrued but unpaid contributions) equals or exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such plan determined using reasonable actuarial assumptions, other than, in the case of (i), (ii) and (iii) above, as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

  

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(kk)          Forward Looking Statements.  The forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus from the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year most recently ended (i) except for any forward looking statement included in any financial statements and notes thereto, are within the coverage of the safe harbor for forward looking statements set forth in Section 27A of the Securities Act, Rule 175(b) under the Securities Act or Rule 3b-6 under the Exchange Act, as applicable, and (ii) have been prepared in accordance with Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Act.

 

(ll)            Margin Rules.  Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Placement Shares nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.

 

(mm)        Insurance.  Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company carries, or is covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company reasonably believes are adequate for its business and customary for companies of similar size engaged in similar businesses in similar industries.

 

(nn)         No Improper Practices. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, (i)  neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its executive officers has, in the past five years, made any unlawful contributions to any candidate for any political office (or failed fully to disclose any contribution in violation of law) or made any contribution or other payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state, municipal, or foreign office or other person charged with similar public or quasi-public duty in violation of any law or of the character required to be disclosed in the Prospectus; (ii) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any affiliate of the Company, on the one hand, and the directors, officers and stockholders of the Company on the other hand, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that is not so described; (iii) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any affiliate of the Company, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders or directors of the Company on the other hand, that is required by the rules of FINRA to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that is not so described; (iv) except as described in the Prospectus, there are no material outstanding loans or advances or material guarantees of indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of their respective officers or directors or any of the members of the families of any of them; and (v) the Company has not offered, or caused any placement agent to offer, Common Stock to any person with the intent to influence unlawfully (A) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company or (B) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or any of their respective products or services, and, (vi) neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee or agent of the Company has made any payment of funds of the Company or received or retained any funds in violation of any law, rule or regulation (including, without limitation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977), which payment, receipt or retention of funds is of a character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.

 

  

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(oo)         Status Under the Securities Act.  The Company was not and is not an ineligible issuer as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act at the times specified in Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Placement Shares.

 

(pp)         No Misstatement or Omission in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at each Applicable Time through the completion of any Placement for which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is used or deemed used, will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any incorporated document deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified.  The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by MLV expressly for use therein.

 

(qq)         No Conflicts.  Neither the execution of this Agreement by the Company, nor the issuance, offering or sale of the Placement Shares, nor the consummation by the Company of any of the transactions contemplated herein and therein, nor the compliance by the Company with the terms and provisions hereof and thereof will conflict with, or will result in a breach of, any of the terms and provisions of, or has constituted or will constitute a default under, or has resulted in or will result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any contract or other agreement to which the Company is a party or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject, except (i) such conflicts, breaches or defaults as may have been waived and (ii) such conflicts, breaches, defaults and liens, charges and encumbrances that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; nor will such action result (x) in any violation of the provisions of the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the Company, or (y) in any material violation of the provisions of any statute or any order, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or of any court or of any federal, state or other regulatory authority or other government body having jurisdiction over the Company, except where such violation would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(rr)           Clinical Studies.  The material clinical, pre-clinical and other studies and tests conducted by or, to the knowledge of the Company, on behalf of the Company were, and, if still pending, are being, conducted in accordance in all material respects with all statutes, laws, rules and regulations, as applicable (including, without limitation,  the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (the “FDA”) Good Laboratory Practices and Good Clinical Practices as well as all other applicable rules, regulations, or requirements of the FDA or any foreign, federal, state or local governmental or regulatory authority performing functions similar to those performed by the FDA), except where failure to do so would not have a Material Adverse Effect.  Except as set forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement and Prospectus, the Company has not received any written notices or other written correspondence from the FDA or any other foreign, federal, state or local governmental or regulatory authority performing functions similar to those performed by the FDA requiring the Company to terminate or suspend any ongoing clinical or pre-clinical studies or tests.

 

  

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(ss)          Compliance Program.  Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company has established and administers a compliance program applicable to the Company, to assist the Company and the directors, officers and employees of the Company in complying with applicable regulatory guidelines (including, without limitation, those administered by the FDA and any other foreign, federal, state or local governmental or regulatory authority performing functions similar to those performed by the FDA); except where such noncompliance would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(tt)           OFAC.  (i) Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or representative of the Entity, is a government, individual, or entity (in this paragraph (tt), “Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by a Person that is:

 

(A)  the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union (“EU”), Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor

 

(B)  located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Burma/Myanmar, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria).

 

           (ii)  The Company will not, directly or indirectly, knowingly use the proceeds of the offering, or knowingly lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:

 

(A)  to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or

 

(B)  in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

 

           (iii)  Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, for the past 5 years, the Company has not knowingly engaged in, is not now knowingly engaged in, and will not knowingly engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

 

 (uu)         Stock Transfer Taxes.  On each Settlement Date, all stock transfer or other taxes (other than income taxes) which are required to be paid in connection with the sale and transfer of the Placement Shares to be sold hereunder will be, or will have been, fully paid or provided for by the Company and all laws imposing such taxes will be or will have been fully complied with in all material respects.

 

 (vv)         Certificates. Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to MLV or to counsel for MLV pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company, as applicable, to MLV as to the matters set forth therein.

 

  

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7.             Covenants of the Company.  The Company covenants and agrees with MLV that:

 

(a)           Registration Statement and Amendments. The Registration Statement and the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, and the documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, shall conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable.  After the date of this Agreement and during any period in which a Prospectus relating to any Placement Shares is required to be delivered by MLV under the Securities Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act) (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”), (i) the Company will notify MLV promptly of the time when any subsequent amendment to the Registration Statement, other than documents incorporated by reference, has been filed with the Commission and/or has become effective or any subsequent supplement to the Prospectus, other than documents incorporated by reference, has been filed and of any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information, (ii) the Company will not file any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus (except for documents incorporated by reference) unless a copy thereof has been submitted to MLV within two business days before the filing and MLV has not reasonably objected thereto within the two business day period (provided, however, that (A) the failure of MLV to make such objection shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect MLV’s right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement and (B) the Company has no obligation to provide MLV any advance copy of such filing or to provide MLV an opportunity to object to such filing if such filing does not name MLV or does not relate to the transactions contemplated hereunder provided, further, that the only remedy MLV shall have with respect to the failure by the Company to provide MLV with such copy shall be to cease making sales under this Agreement) and the Company will furnish to MLV at the time of filing thereof a copy of any document that upon filing is deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or Prospectus, except for those documents available via EDGAR (regardless of whether the Company has requested confidential treatment therefor); and (iii) the Company will cause each amendment or supplement to the Prospectus to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act or, in the case of any document to be incorporated therein by reference, to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the Exchange Act, within the time period prescribed (the determination to file or not file any amendment or supplement with the Commission under this Section 7(a), based on the Company’s reasonable opinion or reasonable objections, shall be made exclusively by the Company).

 

(b)           Notice of Commission Stop Orders.  The Company will advise MLV, promptly after it receives notice or obtains knowledge thereof, of the issuance or threatened issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, of the suspension of the qualification of the Placement Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation of any proceeding for any such purpose; and it will promptly use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such a stop order should be issued.  The Company will advise MLV promptly after it receives any request by the Commission for any amendments to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplements to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information related to the offering of the Placement Shares or for additional information related to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

 

  

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(c)           Delivery of Prospectus; Subsequent Changes.  During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to comply in all material respects with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as from time to time in force, and to file on or before their respective due dates all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, 15(d) or any other provision of or under the Exchange Act.  If the Company has omitted any information from the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act, it will use its best efforts to comply with the provisions of and make all requisite filings with the Commission pursuant to said Rule 430A and to notify MLV promptly of all such filings.  If during the Prospectus Delivery Period any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during such Prospectus Delivery Period it is necessary to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act, the Company will promptly notify MLV to suspend the offering of Placement Shares during such period and the Company will promptly amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; provided, however, that the Company may delay any such amendment or supplement if, in the judgment of the Company, it is in the best interests of the Company to do so.

 

(d)           Listing of Placement Shares.  During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Placement Shares to be listed on the Exchange and to qualify the Placement Shares for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as MLV reasonably designate and to continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Placement Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or dealer in securities or file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction.

 

(e)           Delivery of Registration Statement and Prospectus.  The Company will furnish to MLV and its counsel (at the expense of the Company) copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference therein) and all amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that are filed with the Commission during the Prospectus Delivery Period (including all documents filed with the Commission during such period that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein), in each case as soon as reasonably practicable and in such quantities as MLV may from time to time reasonably request and, at MLV’s request, will also furnish copies of the Prospectus to each exchange or market on which sales of the Placement Shares may be made; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to furnish any document (other than the Prospectus) to MLV to the extent such document is available on EDGAR.

 

  

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(f)            Earnings Statement.  The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 15 months after the end of the Company’s current fiscal quarter, an earnings statement covering a 12-month period that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) and Rule 158 of the Securities Act.

 

(g)           Use of Proceeds.  The Company will use the Net Proceeds as described in the Prospectus in the section entitled “Use of Proceeds.”

 

(h)           Notice of Other Sales.  Without the prior written consent of MLV, the Company will not, directly or indirectly, offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Stock (other than the Placement Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Common Stock during the period beginning on the fifth (5th) Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which any Placement Notice is delivered to MLV hereunder and ending on the fifth (5th) Trading Day immediately following the final Settlement Date with respect to Placement Shares sold pursuant to such Placement Notice (or, if the Placement Notice has been terminated or suspended prior to the sale of all Placement Shares covered by a Placement Notice, the date of such suspension or termination); and, at any time during which a Placement Notice is pending, will not directly or indirectly in any other At The Market Offering or continuous equity transaction offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Stock (other than the Placement Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Common Stock prior to the termination of this Agreement with respect to Placement Shares sold pursuant to such Placement Notice; provided, however, that such restrictions will not be required in connection with the Company’s issuance or sale of (i) Common Stock, options to purchase Common Stock, restricted stock units or stock awards or Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of options or vesting of restricted stock units, pursuant to any employee or director stock option or benefits plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan (but not Common Stock subject to a waiver to exceed plan limits in its dividend reinvestment plan) of the Company whether now in effect or hereafter implemented; (ii) Common Stock issuable upon conversion of securities or the exercise of warrants, options or other rights in effect or outstanding, and disclosed in filings by the Company available on EDGAR or otherwise in writing to MLV and (iii) Common Stock, or securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock, offered and sold in a privately negotiated transaction to vendors, customers, investors, strategic partners or potential strategic partners who are qualified institutional buyers and not more than three persons that are "accredited investors" within the meaning of such term under paragraph (a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7) or (a)(8) of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and otherwise conducted in a manner so as not to be integrated with the offering of Common Stock hereby.

 

(i)           Change of Circumstances.  The Company will, at any time during the pendency of a Placement Notice advise MLV promptly after it shall have received notice or obtained knowledge thereof, of any information or fact that would alter or affect in any material respect any opinion, certificate, letter or other document required to be provided to MLV pursuant to this Agreement.

 

  

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(j)           Due Diligence Cooperation.  The Company will cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by MLV or its representatives in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, providing information and making available documents and senior corporate officers, during regular business hours and at the Company’s principal offices or such other location mutually agreed to by the parties, as MLV may reasonably request.

 

(k)           Required Filings Relating to Placement of Placement Shares.  To the extent that the filing of a prospectus supplement with the Commission with respect to a placement of Placement Shares becomes required under Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, the Company agrees that on such dates as the Securities Act shall require, the Company will (i) file a prospectus supplement with the Commission under the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (the date of each and every filing under Rule 424(b), a “Filing Date”), which prospectus supplement will set forth, within the relevant period, the amount of Placement Shares sold through MLV, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation payable by the Company to MLV with respect to such Placement Shares, and (ii) deliver such number of copies of each such prospectus supplement to each exchange or market on which such sales were effected as may be required by the rules or regulations of such exchange or market.

 

(l)           Representation Dates; Certificate.  Each time during the term of this Agreement that the Company:

 

(i) post-effectively amends the Registration Statement or supplements the Prospectus, in either case such that the audited financial information contained therein is materially amended, but not by means of incorporation of documents by reference into the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares;

 

(ii) files an annual report on Form 10-K under the Exchange Act (including any Form 10-K/A containing restated financial statements or a material amendment to the previously filed Form 10-K);

 

(iii) files its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act; or

 

(iv) files a current report on Form 8-K containing amended audited financial information (other than information “furnished” pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or to provide disclosure pursuant to Item 8.01 of Form 8-K relating to the reclassification of certain properties as discontinued operations in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144) under the Exchange Act (each date of filing of one or more of the documents referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) shall be a “Representation Date”);

 

the Company shall furnish MLV (but in the case of clause (iv) above only if MLV reasonably determines that the information contained in such Form 8-K is material) with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(l).  The requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 7(l) shall be waived for any Representation Date occurring at a time at which no Placement Notice is pending, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers a Placement Notice hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Representation Date) and the next occurring Representation Date; provided, however, that such waiver shall not apply for any Representation Date on which the Company files its annual report on Form 10-K.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Placement Shares following a Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not provide MLV with a certificate under this Section 7(l), then before the Company delivers the Placement Notice or MLV sells any Placement Shares, the Company shall provide MLV with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(l), dated the date of the Placement Notice.

 

  

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(m)           Legal Opinion.  On or prior to the date of the first Placement Notice given hereunder, the Company shall cause to be furnished to MLV written opinions of Cooley LLP (“Company Counsel”), or other counsel reasonably satisfactory to MLV, substantially similar to the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(m)(1). Thereafter, within five (5) Trading Days of each Representation Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(l) for which no waiver is applicable, and not more than once per fiscal quarter, the Company shall cause to be furnished to MLV a written letter of Company Counsel substantially similar to the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(m)(2), modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented, and with customary assumptions and exceptions.

 

(n)           Comfort Letter.  On or prior to the date of the first Placement Notice given hereunder and thereafter within five (5) Trading Days of Representation Dates pursuant to Sections 7(l)(i), 7(l)(ii) and 7(l)(iv) with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(l) for which no waiver is applicable, the Company shall cause its independent accountants to furnish a MLV letter (the “Comfort Letter”), dated the date the Comfort Letter is delivered, which shall meet the requirements set forth in this Section 7(n).  The Comfort Letter from the Company’s independent accountants shall be in a form and substance satisfactory to MLV, (i) confirming that they are an independent public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act and the PCAOB, (ii) stating, as of such date, the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters requested by MLV and relating to matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters in connection with registered public offerings (the first such letter, the “Initial Comfort Letter”) and (iii) updating the Initial Comfort Letter with any information that would have been included in the Initial Comfort Letter had it been given on such date and modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter.  The Company shall not be required to deliver a Comfort Letter in connection with a Representation Date triggered by the Company’s filing of a quarterly report on Form 10-Q pursuant to Section 7(l)(iii).

 

(o)           Market Activities.  The Company will not, directly or indirectly, (i) take any action designed to cause or result in, or that constitutes or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of Placement Shares or (ii) sell, bid for, or purchase the Placement Shares, or pay anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of the Placement Shares other than MLV.

 

(p)           Investment Company Act.  The Company will conduct its affairs in such a manner so as to reasonably ensure that it will not be or become, at any time prior to the termination of this Agreement, an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act.

 

  

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(q)           No Offer to Sell.  Other than an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus approved in advance by the Company and MLV in its capacity as agent hereunder, neither MLV nor the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than MLV in its capacity as such) will directly or indirectly make, use, prepare, authorize, approve or refer to any written communication (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act), required to be filed with the Commission, that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy Placement Shares to be sold by MLV as agent hereunder.

 

(r)           Sarbanes-Oxley Act.  The Company will maintain and keep accurate books and records reflecting its assets and maintain internal accounting controls in a manner designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and including those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company, (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit the preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, (iii) that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with management’s and the Company’s directors’ authorization, and (iv) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on its financial statements.  The Company will maintain such controls and other procedures, including, without limitation, those required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and the applicable regulations thereunder that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to ensure that material information relating to the Company is made known to them by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which such periodic reports are being prepared.

 

8.             Representations and Covenants of MLV.  MLV represents and warrants that it is duly registered as a broker-dealer under FINRA, the Exchange Act and the applicable statutes and regulations of each state in which the Placement Shares will be offered and sold, except such states in which MLV is exempt from registration or such registration is not otherwise required.  MLV shall continue, for the term of this Agreement, to be duly registered as a broker-dealer under FINRA, the Exchange Act and the applicable statutes and regulations of each state in which the Placement Shares will be offered and sold, except such states in which MLV is exempt from registration or such registration is not otherwise required, during the term of this Agreement.  MLV will comply with all applicable law and regulations in connection with the Placement Shares, including but not limited to Regulation M.

 

  

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9.             Payment of Expenses.

 

(a)           The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, filing, including any fees required by the Commission, and printing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment and supplement thereto and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, in such number as MLV shall deem reasonably necessary, (ii) the printing and delivery to MLV of this Agreement and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Placement Shares, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates, if any, for the Placement Shares to MLV, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any capital duties, stamp duties or other duties or taxes payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Placement Shares to MLV, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the counsel, accountants and other advisors to the Company, (v)  the fees and expenses of the transfer agent and registrar for the Common Stock, (vi) the filing fees incident to any review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Placement Shares, and (vii) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Placement Shares on the Exchange.

 

(b)           If this Agreement is terminated by the MLV in accordance with the provisions of Section 13(c) hereof as a result of a material breach by the Company of its obligations hereunder, the Company shall reimburse the MLV for all of its out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the MLV not to exceed $25,000.

 

10.           Conditions to MLV’s Obligations.  The obligations of MLV hereunder with respect to a Placement will be subject to the continuing accuracy and completeness of the representations and warranties made by the Company herein, to the due performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, to the completion by MLV of a due diligence review satisfactory to it in its reasonable judgment, and to the continuing satisfaction (or waiver by MLV in its sole discretion) of the following additional conditions:

 

(a)           Registration Statement Effective.  The Registration Statement shall have become effective and shall be available for the sale of all Placement Shares contemplated to be issued by any Placement Notice, and the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, and the documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, shall conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable.

 

  

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(b)           No Material Notices.  None of the following events shall have occurred and be continuing: (i) receipt by the Company of any request for additional information from the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority during the period of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the response to which would require any post-effective amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; (ii) the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; (iii) receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Placement Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; or (iv) any event that makes any material statement made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any material document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement, it will not contain any materially untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and, that in the case of the Prospectus, it will not contain any materially untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(c)           No Misstatement or Material Omission.  MLV shall not have advised the Company that the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in MLV’s reasonable opinion is material, or omits to state a fact that in MLV’s opinion is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

(d)           Material Changes.  Except as contemplated in the Prospectus, or disclosed in the Company’s reports filed with the Commission, there shall not have been any material adverse change, on a consolidated basis, in the authorized capital stock of the Company or any Material Adverse Effect, or any development in the business or affairs of the Company that could reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(e)           Legal Opinion.  MLV shall have received the opinions of Company Counsel required to be delivered pursuant Section 7(m) on or before the date on which such delivery of such opinions are required pursuant to Section 7(m).

 

(f)           Comfort Letter.  MLV shall have received the Comfort Letter required to be delivered pursuant Section 7(n) on or before the date on which such delivery of such Comfort Letter is required pursuant to Section 7(n).

 

(g)           Representation Certificate.  MLV shall have received the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(l) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 7(l).

 

(h)           No Suspension.  Trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended on the Exchange and the Common Stock shall not have been delisted from the Exchange.

 

(i)           Securities Act Filings Made.  All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424 under the Securities Act to have been filed prior to the issuance of any Placement Notice hereunder shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 424.

 

(j)           Approval for Listing.  The Placement Shares shall either have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to notice of issuance, or the Company shall have filed an application for listing of the Placement Shares on the Exchange at, or prior to, the issuance of any Placement Notice.

 

  

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(k)           No Termination Event.  There shall not have occurred any event that would permit MLV to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 13(a).

 

11.           Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)           Company Indemnification.  The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless MLV, its partners, members, directors, officers, employees and agents and each person, if any, who controls MLV within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act as follows:

 

(i)           against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, joint or several, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any related Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

 

(ii)           against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, joint or several, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 11(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company, which consent shall not unreasonably be delayed or withheld; and

 

(iii)           against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above,

 

provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission to the extent made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by MLV expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), or in any related Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).

 

(b)           MLV Indemnification.  MLV agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its directors, and each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who (i) controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or (ii) is controlled by or is under common control with the Company against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 11(c), as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendments thereto), the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by MLV expressly for use therein.

 

  

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(c)           Procedure.  Any party that proposes to assert the right to be indemnified under this Section 11 will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim is to be made against an indemnifying party or parties under this Section 11, notify each such indemnifying party of the commencement of such action, enclosing a copy of all papers served, but the omission so to notify such indemnifying party will not relieve the indemnifying party from (i) any liability that it might have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 11 and (ii) any liability that it may have to any indemnified party under the foregoing provision of this Section 11 unless, and only to the extent that, such omission results in the forfeiture or material impairment of substantive rights or defenses by the indemnifying party.  If any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of its commencement, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in and, to the extent that it elects by delivering written notice to the indemnified party promptly after receiving notice of the commencement of the action from the indemnified party, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense of the action, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense, the indemnifying party will not be liable to the indemnified party for any legal or other expenses except as provided below and except for the reasonable costs of investigation subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense.  The indemnified party will have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action, but the fees, expenses and other charges of such counsel will be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (1) the employment of counsel by the indemnified party has been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (2) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on written advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, (3) a conflict or potential conflict exists (based on written advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party) or (4) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in each of which cases the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel will be at the expense of the indemnifying party or parties.  It is understood that the indemnifying party or parties shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm admitted to practice in such jurisdiction at any one time for all such indemnified party or parties.  All such fees, disbursements and other charges will be reimbursed by the indemnifying party promptly after the indemnifying party receives a written invoice relating to fees, disbursements and other charges in reasonable detail. An indemnifying party will not, in any event, be liable for any settlement of any action or claim effected without its written consent.  No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of each indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding relating to the matters contemplated by this Section 11 (whether or not any indemnified party is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (1) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (2) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

  

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(d)           Contribution.  In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in the foregoing paragraphs of this Section 11 is applicable in accordance with its terms but for any reason is held to be unavailable from the Company or MLV, the Company and MLV will contribute to the total losses, claims, liabilities, expenses and damages (including any investigative, legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim asserted, but after deducting any contribution received by the Company from persons other than MLV, such as persons who control the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or Exchange Act, officers of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and directors of the Company, who also may be liable for contribution) to which the Company and MLV may be subject in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and MLV on the other hand.  The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and MLV on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the sale of the Placement Shares (net of commissions to MLV but before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total compensation received by MLV (before deducting expenses) from the sale of Placement Shares on behalf of the Company.  If, but only if, the allocation provided by the foregoing sentence is not permitted by applicable law, the allocation of contribution shall be made in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in the foregoing sentence but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and MLV, on the other hand, with respect to the statements or omission that resulted in such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations with respect to such offering.  Such relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or MLV, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.  The Company and MLV agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 11(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein.  The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, liability, expense, or damage, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 11(d) shall be deemed to include, for the purpose of this Section 11(d), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim to the extent consistent with Section 11(c) hereof.  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 11(d), MLV shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the commissions received by it under this Agreement and no person found guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.  For purposes of this Section 11(d), any person who controls a party to this Agreement within the meaning of the Securities Act, and any officers, directors, partners, employees or agents of MLV, will have the same rights to contribution as that party, and each officer and director of the Company who signed the Registration Statement will have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the provisions hereof.  Any party entitled to contribution, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made under this Section 11(d), will notify any such party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify will not relieve that party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may have under this Section 11(d) except to the extent that the failure to so notify such other party materially prejudiced the substantive rights or defenses of the party from whom contribution is sought.  Except for a settlement entered into pursuant to the last sentence of Section 11(c) hereof, no party will be liable for contribution with respect to any action or claim settled without its written consent if such consent is required pursuant to Section 11(c) hereof.

 

  

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12.           Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery.  The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in Section 11 of this Agreement and all representations and warranties of the Company and MLV herein or in certificates delivered pursuant hereto shall survive, as of their respective dates, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of MLV, any controlling persons, or the Company (or any of their respective officers, directors or controlling persons), (ii) delivery and acceptance of the Placement Shares and payment therefor or (iii) any termination of this Agreement.

 

13.           Termination.

 

(a)           MLV may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, as hereinafter specified at any time (1) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the date as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any Material Adverse Effect, or any development that has occurred that is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect has occurred or in the sole judgment of MLV makes it impractical or inadvisable to market the Placement Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Placement Shares, (2) if trading in the Common Stock has been suspended or limited by the Commission or the Exchange, or if trading generally on the Exchange has been suspended or limited, or minimum prices for trading have been fixed on the Exchange, (3) if any suspension of trading of any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market shall have occurred and be continuing for at least ten (10) Trading Days, (4) if a major disruption of securities settlements or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred and be continuing, or (5) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either U.S. Federal or New York authorities.  Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 9 (Payment of Expenses), Section 11 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 12 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 18 (Governing Law and Time; Waiver of Jury Trial) and Section 19 (Consent to Jurisdiction) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.  If MLV elects to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 13(a), MLV shall provide the required notice as specified in Section 14 (Notices).

 

(b)           The Company shall have the right, by giving ten (10) days notice as hereinafter specified to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement.  Such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 9, Section 11, Section 12, Section 18 and Section 19 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

  

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(c)           MLV shall have the right, by giving ten (10) days notice as hereinafter specified to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement.  Such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 9, Section 11, Section 12, Section 18 and Section 19 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

(d)           Unless earlier terminated pursuant to this Section 13, this Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the earlier to occur of (i) the third (3rd) year anniversary of the date hereof or (ii) issuance and sale of all of the Placement Shares through MLV on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein except that, in either such case, the provisions of Section 9, Section 11, Section 11, Section 12, Section 18 and Section 19 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

(e)           This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect unless terminated pursuant to Sections 13(a), (b), (c), or (d) above or otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties; provided, however, that any such termination by mutual agreement shall in all cases be deemed to provide that Section 9, Section 11, Section 12, Section 18 and Section 19 shall remain in full force and effect.  Upon termination of this Agreement, the Company shall not have any liability to MLV for any discount, commission or other compensation with respect to any Placement Shares not otherwise sold by MLV under this Agreement.

 

(f)           Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice of termination; provided, however, that such termination shall not be effective until the close of business on the date of receipt of such notice by MLV or the Company, as the case may be.  If such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Placement Shares, such Placement Shares shall settle in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

 

14.           Notices.  All notices or other communications required or permitted to be given by any party to any other party pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing, unless otherwise specified, and if sent to MLV, shall be delivered to:

 

McNicoll, Lewis & Vlak LLC

1251 Avenue of the Americas, 41st Floor

New York, NY  10020

Attention: General Counsel

Facsimile: (212) 217-3315

 

  

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with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

 

LeClairRyan, P.C.

830 Third Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Attention:  James T. Seery

Facsimile:  (973) 491-3415

Email: James.Seery@leclairryan.com

 

and if to the Company, shall be delivered to:

 

Cardica, Inc.

900 Saginaw Drive

Redwood City, CA

Attention: Robert Y. Newell, IV

Telephone: (650) 364-9975

Facsimile: (650) 364-3134

 

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

 

Cooley LLP

Five Palo Alto Square

3000 El Camino Real

Palo Alto, CA  94304

Attention: Suzanne Sawochka Hooper, Esq.

Telephone: (650) 843-5000

Facsimile: (650) 849-7400

Each party to this Agreement may change such address for notices by sending to the parties to this Agreement written notice of a new address for such purpose.  Each such notice or other communication shall be deemed given (i) when delivered personally or by verifiable facsimile transmission (with an original to follow) on or before 4:30 p.m., New York City time, on a Business Day or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day, (ii) on the next Business Day after timely delivery to a nationally-recognized overnight courier and (iii) on the Business Day actually received if deposited in the U.S. mail (certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid).  For purposes of this Agreement, “Business Day” shall mean any day on which the Exchange and commercial banks in the City of New York are open for business.

 

An electronic communication (“Electronic Notice”) shall be deemed written notice for purposes of this Section 14 if sent to the electronic mail address specified by the receiving party under separate cover.  Electronic Notice shall be deemed received at the time the party sending Electronic Notice receives confirmation of receipt by the receiving party.  Any party receiving Electronic Notice may request and shall be entitled to receive the notice on paper, in a nonelectronic form (“Nonelectronic Notice”) which shall be sent to the requesting party within ten (10) days of receipt of the written request for Nonelectronic Notice.

 

  

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15.           Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company and MLV and their respective successors and the affiliates, controlling persons, officers and directors referred to in Section 11 hereof.  References to any of the parties contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the successors and permitted assigns of such party.  Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and permitted assigns any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement.  Neither party may assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party.

 

16.           Adjustments for Stock Splits.  The parties acknowledge and agree that all share-related numbers contained in this Agreement shall be adjusted to take into account any share consolidation, stock split, stock dividend, corporate domestication or similar event effected with respect to the Placement Shares.

 

17.           Entire Agreement; Amendment; Severability.  This Agreement (including all schedules and exhibits attached hereto and Placement Notices issued pursuant hereto), together with that certain Confidential Disclosure Agreement between the Company and MLV dated July 29, 2011 (the “NDA”), constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all other prior and contemporaneous agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties hereto with regard to the subject matter hereof.  Moreover, the Company and MLV agree that all exchanges of information hereunder shall be governed by the terms of the NDA.  Neither this Agreement nor any term hereof may be amended except pursuant to a written instrument executed by the Company and MLV.  In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable as written by a court of competent jurisdiction, then such provision shall be given full force and effect to the fullest possible extent that it is valid, legal and enforceable, and the remainder of the terms and provisions herein shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable term or provision was not contained herein, but only to the extent that giving effect to such provision and the remainder of the terms and provisions hereof shall be in accordance with the intent of the parties as reflected in this Agreement.

 

18.           GOVERNING LAW AND TIME; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS. SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME. THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

  

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19.           CONSENT TO JURISDICTION. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE NON-EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS SITTING IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, 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 BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM OR THAT THE VENUE OF SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IS IMPROPER.  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 (CERTIFIED OR REGISTERED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED) 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 MANNER PERMITTED BY LAW.

 

20.           Use of Information.  MLV may not use any information gained in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including due diligence, to advise any party with respect to transactions not expressly approved by the Company.

 

21.           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.  Delivery of an executed Agreement by one party to the other may be made by electronic (pdf) facsimile transmission.

 

22.           Effect of Headings.

 

The section and Exhibit headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

  

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23.           Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses.

 

The Company represents, warrants and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of MLV, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, and MLV represents, warrants and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Placement Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission.  Any such free writing prospectus consented to by MLV or by the Company, as the case may be, is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.”  The Company represents and warrants that it has treated and agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping.  For the purposes of clarity, the parties hereto agree that all free writing prospectuses, if any, listed in Exhibit G hereto are Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses.

 

24.           Absence of Fiduciary Relationship.

 

                The Company acknowledges and agrees that:

 

(a)           MLV is acting solely as agent in connection with the public offering of the Placement Shares and in connection with each transaction contemplated by this Agreement and the process leading to such transactions, and no fiduciary or advisory relationship between the Company or any of its respective affiliates, stockholders (or other equity holders), creditors or employees or any other party, on the one hand, and MLV, on the other hand, has been or will be created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether or not MLV has advised or is advising the Company on other matters, and MLV has no obligation to the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement;

 

(b)           it is capable of evaluating and understanding, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

 

(c)           MLV has not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and it has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate;

 

(d)           it is aware that MLV and its affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and MLV has no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship or otherwise; and

 

(e)           it waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against MLV for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the sale of Placement Shares under this Agreement and agrees that MLV shall not have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract, tort or otherwise) to it in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on its behalf or in right of it or the Company, employees or creditors of Company, other than in respect of MLV’s obligations under this Agreement and to keep information provided by the Company to MLV and MLV's counsel confidential to the extent not otherwise publicly-available.

 

  

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25.           Definitions.

 

As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below:

 

“Applicable Time” means (i) each Representation Date and (ii) the time of each sale of any Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement.

 

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, relating to the Placement Shares that (1) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (2) is a “road show” that is a “written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (3) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Placement Shares or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g) under the Securities Act Regulations.

 

“Rule 163,” “Rule 164,” “Rule 172,” “Rule 405,” “Rule 415,” “Rule 424,” “Rule 424(b),” “Rule 430B,” and “Rule 433” refer to such rules under the Securities Act Regulations.

 

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information that is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be.

 

All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR; all references in this Agreement to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (other than any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses that, pursuant to Rule 433, are not required to be filed with the Commission) shall be deemed to include the copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR; and all references in this Agreement to “supplements” to the Prospectus shall include, without limitation, any supplements, “wrappers” or similar materials prepared in connection with any offering, sale or private placement of any Placement Shares by MLV outside of the United States.

 

  

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If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Company and MLV with respect to the subject matter hereof, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and MLV.

 

	 	 	Very truly yours,	 
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	CARDICA, INC.
	 	 	 	 	 
	
 

	 	By:   	/s/ Robert Y. Newell	 
	
 

	 	 	
Name: Robert Y. Newell

	 
	
 

	 	 	
Title:  Chief Financial Officer

	 

 

	 	 	ACCEPTED as of the date first-above written:	 
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	MCNICOLL,  LEWIS & VLAK LLC	 
	 	 	 	 	 
	
 

	 	By:   	
/s/ Dean M. Colucci

	 
	
 

	 	 	
Name: Dean M. Colucci

	 
	
 

	 	 	

Title:   President and Chief Operating Officer

	 

 

  

  

  

 

SCHEDULE 1

 

_________________________________

 

FORM OF PLACEMENT NOTICE

_________________________________

 

	
  

	From:  	Cardica, Inc.

 

	
  

	
To:

	
McNicoll, Lewis & Vlak LLC

	
  

	
Attention: Patrice McNicoll

 

	
  

	Subject: 	
At Market Issuance--Placement Notice

 

Gentlemen:

 

Pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the At Market Issuance Sales Agreement between Cardica, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and McNicoll, Lewis & Vlak LLC (“MLV”), dated August 3, 2011, the Company hereby requests that MLV sell up to ____________ of the Company’s Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, at a minimum market price of $_______ per share, during the time period beginning [month, day, time] and ending [month, day, time].

 

 

 

[The Company may include such other sales parameters as it deems appropriate.]

 

  

  

  

 

SCHEDULE 2

 

__________________________

 

Compensation

__________________________

 

The Company shall pay to MLV in cash, upon each sale of Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement, an amount equal to 3% of the gross proceeds from each sale of Placement Shares.

 

  

  

  

 

SCHEDULE 3

 

__________________________

 

Notice Parties

__________________________

 

The Company

 

Bernard Hausen

 

Robert Y. Newell IV

 

 

MLV

 

Randy Billhardt

 

Dean Colucci

 

Ryan Loforte

 

Patrice McNicoll

 

  

  

  

 

EXHIBIT 7(l)

 

Form of Representation Date Certificate

 

This Officers Certificate (this “Certificate”) is executed and delivered in connection with Section 7(l) of the At Market Issuance Sales Agreement (the “Agreement”), dated August 3, 2011, and entered into between Cardica, Inc. (the “Company”) and McNicoll, Lewis & Vlak LLC.  All capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Agreement.

 

The undersigned, a duly appointed and authorized officer of the Company, having made reasonable inquiries to establish the accuracy of the statements below and having been authorized by the Company to execute this certificate on behalf of the Company, hereby certifies as follows:

 

           1.           As of the date of this Certificate, (i) the Registration Statement does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading and (ii) neither the Registration Statement nor the Prospectus contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (iii) no event has occurred as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not untrue or misleading for (i) and (ii) to be true.

 

           2.           Each of the representations and warranties of the Company contained in the Agreement were true and correct in all material respects, when originally made, and, except for those representations and warranties that speak solely as of a specific date, are true and correct as of the date of this Certificate.

 

           3.           Except as waived by MLV in writing, each of the covenants required to be performed by the Company in the Agreement on or prior to the date of the Agreement, this Representation Date, and each such other date prior to the date hereof as set forth in the Agreement, has been duly, timely and fully performed in all material respects and each condition required to be complied with by the Company on or prior to the date of the Agreement, this Representation Date, and each such other date prior to the date hereof as set forth in the Agreement has been duly, timely and fully complied with in all material respects.

 

           4.           Subsequent to the date of the most recent financial statements in the Prospectus, and except as described in the Prospectus, including Incorporated Documents, there has been no event that has resulted in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

           5.           No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the (a) Registration Statement or of any part thereof or (b) the qualification or registration of the Placement Shares under the securities or Blue Sky laws of any jurisdiction has been issued, and, to the Company’s knowledge, no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or threatened by any securities or other governmental authority (including, without limitation, the Commission).

 

  

  

  

 

           6.           No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the qualification or registration of the Placement Shares under the securities or Blue Sky laws of any jurisdiction are in effect and no proceeding for such purpose is pending before, or threatened, to the Company's knowledge or in writing by, any securities or other governmental authority (including, without limitation, the Commission).

 

           The undersigned has executed this Officer's Certificate on behalf of the Company as of the date written below.

 

Date: _________________________

 

	
CARDICA, INC.

 

	
By:                                                                      

	
 

Name:  ________________________________

	
 

Title:    ________________________________

 

  

  

  

 

EXHIBIT 7(m)(1)

 

	
1.

	
The Company has been duly incorporated and is a validly existing corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

	
2.

	
The Company has the requisite corporate power to own, lease and operate its property and assets, to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and to execute and deliver the Agreement and to perform its obligations thereunder, including, without limitation, to issue, sell and deliver the Placement Shares.

 

	
3.

	
The Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing under the laws of the State of California.

 

	
4.

	
All corporate action on the part of the Company necessary for the authorization, execution and delivery of the Agreement by the Company, the authorization, sale, issuance and delivery of the Placement Shares and the performance by the Company of its obligations under the Agreement has been taken.

 

	
5.

	
The Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

	
6.

	
The Placement Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and paid for pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.  The holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are not entitled to preemptive rights or, to our knowledge, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for the Placement Shares (other than rights which have been waived in writing or otherwise satisfied) under the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Charter”) or Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”), the DGCL or any Material Contract.

	
7.

	
The issuance and sale of the Placement Shares pursuant to the Agreement will not result in a breach or violation of (i) any Material Contract, (ii) the Charter or Bylaws of the Company or (iii) to Company Counsel’s knowledge, any statute, law, rule, or regulation which, in Company Counsel’s experience is typically applicable to transactions of the nature contemplated by the Agreement and is applicable to the Company, or any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, or award that has been entered against the Company and of which Company Counsel is aware, in each case the breach or violation of which would materially and adversely affect the Company.

	
8.

	
To Company Counsel’s knowledge, there is (a) no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or other governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator pending or overtly threatened against the Company by a third party of a character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that is not disclosed therein as required by the Securities Act and the rules thereunder and (b) no indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan or other agreement or instrument of a character required to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or the Incorporated Documents, which is not filed as required by the Securities Act and the rules thereunder.

 

  

  

  

 

	
9.

	
No consent, approval, authorization or filing with or order of any U.S. Federal or California court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company is required for the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by the Agreement, except such as have been obtained under the Securities Act and except such as may be required under the securities or blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Placement Shares by you in the manner contemplated in the Agreement or under the bylaws, rules and regulations of FINRA.

 

	
10.

	
The Company is not, and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Placement Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus, will not be, an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act.

 

	
11.

	
The Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or overtly threatened.  Any required filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act has been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b).

	
12.

	
The Registration Statement as of February 7, 2011 and the Prospectus as of the date of the Prospectus Supplement (other than the financial statements and notes thereto or other financial or statistical data derived therefrom, as to which Company Counsel expresses no opinion) each appeared on its face to comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the rules thereunder.  For purposes of this paragraph, Company Counsel has assumed that the statements made in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus are correct and complete.

 

* * * * *

 

In connection with the preparation by the Company of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, Company Counsel participated in discussions and conferences with officers and other representatives of the Company, with its independent registered public accounting firm, as well as with MLV’s representatives and counsel. At such discussions and conferences, the contents of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and related matters were discussed.  Company Counsel has not independently verified, and accordingly is not confirming and assumes no responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.  On the basis of the foregoing, no facts have come to Company Counsel’s attention that have caused it to believe that:

 

(i) the Registration Statement (except as to (A) the financial statements and schedules, related notes and other financial data and statistical data derived therefrom, (B) any intellectual property related matters and (C) any matters related to regulatory law, as to which, in each case, we express no comment), at the date and time that the Registration Statement became effective, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or

 

  

  

  

 

(ii) the Prospectus (except as to (A) the financial statements and schedules, related notes and other financial data and statistical data derived therefrom, (B) any intellectual property related matters and (C) any matters related to regulatory law, as to which, in each case, we express no comment) as of its date or dates as amended or supplemented, as applicable, and as of the date hereof contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary, in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

  

  

  

 

Exhibit 7(m)(2)

 

In connection with the preparation by the Company of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, Company Counsel participated in discussions and conferences with officers and other representatives of the Company, with its independent registered public accounting firm, as well as with MLV’s representatives and counsel. At such discussions and conferences, the contents of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and related matters were discussed.  Company Counsel has not independently verified, and accordingly is not confirming and assumes no responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.  On the basis of the foregoing, no facts have come to Company Counsel’s attention that have caused it to believe that:

 

(i)          the Registration Statement (except as to (A) the financial statements and schedules, related notes and other financial data and statistical data derived therefrom, (B) any intellectual property related matters and (C) any matters related to regulatory law, as to which, in each case, Company Counsel expresses no comment), at the date and time that the Registration Statement became effective, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or

 

(ii)         the Prospectus (except as to (A) the financial statements and schedules, related notes and other financial data and statistical data derived therefrom, (B) any intellectual property related matters and (C) any matters related to regulatory law, as to which, in each case, Company Counsel expresses no comment) as of its date or dates as amended or supplemented, as applicable, and as of the date hereof contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary, in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

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