Document:

EX-10.22

  Exhibit 10.22

  OPEN MARKET SALE AGREEMENT

  February 25, 2022

  JEFFERIES LLC 
520 Madison Avenue

  New York, New York 10022

  Ladies and Gentlemen:

  	 

  Spruce Biosciences, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell from time to time through Jefferies LLC, as sales agent and/or principal (the “Agent”), shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Shares”), having an aggregate offering price of up to $21,000,000 on the terms set forth in this agreement (this “Agreement”).

  
   Section 1.
   
      DEFINITIONS
   

  

  
   (a)
   
    Certain Definitions.  For purposes of this Agreement, capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the following respective meanings:
   

  

  “Affiliate” of a Person means another Person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such first- mentioned Person. The term “control” (including the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

  “Agency Period” means the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and expiring on the earliest to occur of (x) the date on which the Agent shall have placed the Maximum Program Amount pursuant to this Agreement and (y) the date this Agreement is terminated pursuant to ‎Section 7.

  “Commission” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

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

  “Floor Price” means the minimum price set by the Company in the Issuance Notice below which the Agent shall not sell Shares during the applicable period set forth in the Issuance Notice, which may be adjusted by the Company at any time during the period set forth in the Issuance Notice by delivering written notice of such change to the Agent and which in no event shall be less than $1.00 without the prior written consent of the Agent, which may be withheld in the Agent’s sole discretion.

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  “Issuance Amount” means the aggregate Sales Price of the Shares to be sold by the Agent pursuant to any Issuance Notice.

  “Issuance Notice” means a written notice delivered to the Agent by the Company in accordance with this Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A that is executed by its Chief Executive Officer, or President and Chief Financial Officer.

  “Issuance Notice Date” means any Trading Day during the Agency Period that an Issuance Notice is delivered pursuant to ‎Section 3(b)(i).

   “Issuance Price” means the Sales Price less the Selling Commission.

  “Maximum Program Amount” means Common Shares with an aggregate Sales Price of the lesser of (a) the number or dollar amount of Common Shares registered under the effective Registration Statement (as defined below) pursuant to which the offering is being made, (b) the number of authorized but unissued Common Shares (less Common Shares issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of any outstanding securities of the Company or otherwise reserved from the Company’s authorized capital stock), (c) the number or dollar amount of Common Shares permitted to be sold under Form S-3 (including General Instruction I.B.6 thereof, if applicable), or (d) the number or dollar amount of Common Shares for which the Company has filed a Prospectus (as defined below).

  “Person” means an individual or a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, joint stock company, governmental authority or other entity of any kind.

  “Principal Market” means the Nasdaq Global Select Market or such other national securities exchange on which the Common Shares, including any Shares, are then listed.

  “Sales Price” means the actual sale execution price of each Share placed by the Agent pursuant to this Agreement.

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

  “Selling Commission” means three percent (3%) of the gross proceeds of Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement, or as otherwise agreed between the Company and the Agent with respect to any Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement.

   “Settlement Date” means the second business day following each Trading Day during the period set forth in the Issuance Notice on which Shares are sold pursuant to this Agreement, when the Company shall deliver to the Agent the amount of Shares sold on such Trading Day and the Agent shall deliver to the Company the Issuance Price received on such sales.

  “Shares” shall mean the Company’s Common Shares issued or issuable pursuant to this Agreement.

  “Trading Day” means any day on which the Principal Market is open for trading.

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   Section 2.
   
      REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY 
   

  

  The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Agent that as of (1) the date of this Agreement, (2) each Issuance Notice Date, (3) each Settlement Date, (4) each Triggering Event Date (as defined below) and (5) as of each Time of Sale (as defined below) (each of the times referenced above is referred to herein as a “Representation Date”), except as may be disclosed in the Prospectus (including any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements thereto) on or before a Representation Date:  

  
   (a)
   
    Registration Statement.  The Company has prepared and filed with the Commission a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-261960), as amended from time to time, that contains a base prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”).  Such registration statement registers the issuance and sale by the Company of the Shares under the Securities Act.  The Company may file one or more additional registration statements from time to time that will contain a base prospectus and related prospectus or prospectus supplement, if applicable, with respect to the Shares. Except where the context otherwise requires, such registration statement(s), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, including all financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto and all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act as from time to time amended or supplemented, is herein referred to as the “Registration Statement,” and the prospectus constituting a part of such registration statement(s), together with any prospectus supplement filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act relating to a particular issuance of the Shares, including all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, in each case, as from time to time amended or supplemented, is referred to herein as the “Prospectus,” except that if any revised prospectus is provided to the Agent by the Company for use in connection with the offering of the Shares that is not required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, the term “Prospectus” shall refer to such revised prospectus from and after the time it is first provided to the Agent for such use.  The Registration Statement at the time it originally became effective is herein called the “Original Registration Statement.”  As used in this Agreement, the terms “amendment” or “supplement” when applied to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing by the Company with the Commission of any document under the Exchange Act after the date hereof that is or is deemed to be incorporated therein by reference.
   

  

  All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which 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 which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed under the Securities Act to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, as of any specified date; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include, without limitation, the filing of any document under the Exchange Act which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed under the Securities Act to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, as of any specified date. The Company’s obligations under this Agreement to furnish, provide or deliver or make available (and all other references of like import) 

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  copies of any report or statement shall be satisfied if the same is filed with the Commission through its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”).

  At the time the Original Registration Statement was originally declared effective and at the time the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K was filed with the Commission, if later, the Company met the then-applicable requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act.  During the Agency Period, each time the Company files an annual report on Form 10-K the Company will meet the then-applicable requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. 

  
   (b)
   
    Compliance with Registration Requirements.  The Original Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement have been declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act prior to the date of their first use.  The Company has complied to the Commission’s satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for additional or supplemental information.  No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission. 
   

  

  	The Prospectus, when filed, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and, if filed with the Commission through EDGAR (except as may be permitted by Regulation S‐T under the Securities Act), was identical to the copy thereof delivered to the Agent for use in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares.  Each of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective and at each Representation Date, complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not and will not contain any 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.  As of the date of this Agreement, the Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) considered together (collectively, the “Time of Sale Information”) did not contain any 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 under which they were made, not misleading.  The Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as of its date and at each Representation Date, did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  The representations and warranties set forth in the three immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Agent furnished to the Company in writing by the Agent expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Agent to the Company consists of the information described in ‎Section 6  below.  There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been described or filed as required. The Registration Statement and the offer and sale of the Shares as contemplated hereby meet the requirements of Rule 415 under the Securities Act and comply in all material respects with said rule.

   

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  Ineligible Issuer Status. The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering of the Shares pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act.  Any Free Writing Prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act.  Each Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending, and each such Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the issuance and sale of the Shares did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts with or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein.  Except for the Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, and electronic road shows, if any, furnished to you before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without your prior consent, prepare, use or refer to, any Free Writing Prospectus.

  
   (c)
   
    Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, at the time they were filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act, as applicable, and, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, do 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. 
   

  

  
   (d)
   
    Exchange Act Compliance.  The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, and any Free Writing Prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act, and, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto become effective and at each Time of Sale (as defined below), as the case may be, 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 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.
   

  

  
   (e)
   
    Statistical and Market-Related Data.  All statistical, demographic and market‐related data included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes, after reasonable inquiry, to be reliable and accurate.  To the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent for the use of such data from such sources.  
   

  

  
   (f)
   
    Disclosure Controls and Procedures; Deficiencies in or Changes to Internal Control Over Financial Reporting.  Except as described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) reasonably designed to comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act; such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, 
   

  

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    processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management to allow timely decisions regarding disclosures.
   

  

  
   (g)
   
    This Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
   

  

  
   (h)
   
    Authorization of the Shares. The Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company against payment therefor pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and the issuance and sale of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase the Shares, except as have been duly and validly waived in writing as of the date of this Agreement.
   

  

  
   (i)
   
    No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights.  There are no persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly waived.
   

  

  
   (j)
   
    No Material Adverse Change.  Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus: (i) there has been no material adverse change, or any development that could be expected to result in a material adverse change, in (A) the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company, or (B) the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement (any such change being referred to herein as a “Material Adverse Change”); (ii)  the Company has not incurred any material liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, including without limitation any losses or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood, earthquakes, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any strike, labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, that are material, individually or in the aggregate, to the Company, and has not entered into any transactions not in the ordinary course of business; and (iii) there has not been any material decrease in the capital stock or any material increase in any short-term or long-term indebtedness of the Company and there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company or any repurchase or redemption by the Company of any class of capital stock.
   

  

  
   (k)
   
    Independent Accountants. BDO USA, LLP, which has expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) and supporting schedules filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, is (i) an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, and the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”), (ii) in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and (iii) a registered public accounting firm as defined by the PCAOB whose registration has not been suspended or revoked and who has not requested such registration to be withdrawn.
   

  

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   (l)
   
    Financial Statements.  The financial statements filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly the financial position of the Company as of the dates indicated and the results of its operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the periods specified.  The supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein.  Such financial statements and supporting schedules have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) as applied in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except (i) in the case of any unaudited financial statements, which are subject to normal year-end adjustments and do not contain certain footnotes as permitted by the applicable rules of the Commission and (ii) as may be expressly stated in the related notes thereto. The financial statements, together with the related notes, included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with Regulation S-X. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.  No other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.  All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that constitute non‐GAAP financial measures (as defined by the rules and regulations under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act) comply in all material respects with Regulation G under the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, as applicable.  To the Company’s Knowledge (as defined below), no person who has been suspended or barred from being associated with a registered public accounting firm, or who has failed to comply in all material respects with any sanction pursuant to Rule 5300 promulgated by the PCAOB, has participated in or otherwise aided the preparation of, or audited, the financial statements, supporting schedules or other financial data filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
   

  

  
   (m)
   
    Company’s Accounting System.  The Company maintains a system of “internal control over financial reporting,” as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act that is reasonably designed to comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act and has been designed by its principal executive and principal financial officers, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable assurances 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 GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (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 existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (A) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (B) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially and adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
   

  

  
   (n)
   
    Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company.  The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and has the corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement and the 
   

  

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    Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement.  The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in the State of Delaware and each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business.
   

  

  
   (o)
   
    Subsidiaries.  The Company has no subsidiaries.
   

  

  
   (p)
   
    Capitalization and Other Capital Stock Matters.  The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as of the dates stated therein (other than for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to employee benefit plans described in the Prospectus or upon the exercise of outstanding options, in each case described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus).  The Common Shares (including the Shares) conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus.  All of the issued and outstanding Common Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and have been issued in compliance with all federal and state securities laws.  None of the outstanding Common Shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company, except as have been validly waived.  There are no authorized or outstanding options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity or debt securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any capital stock of the Company other than those described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.  The descriptions of the Company’s stock option, stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements, and the options or other rights granted thereunder, set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus accurately and fairly presents the information required to be shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, options and rights.
   

  

  
   (q)
   
    Stock Exchange Listing. The Common Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act and are listed on the Principal Market, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Shares under the Exchange Act or delisting the Common Shares from the Principal Market, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the Principal Market is contemplating terminating such registration or listing.  To the Company’s Knowledge, it is in compliance with all applicable listing requirements of the Principal Market.
   

  

  
   (r)
   
    Legal Proceedings. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, there is no legal or governmental proceeding to which the Company is a party or of which any property or assets of the Company is the subject, including any proceeding before the United States Food and Drug Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“FDA”) or comparable federal, state, local or foreign governmental bodies (it being understood that the routine interaction between the Company and the FDA and such comparable governmental bodies relating to the clinical development and product approval process shall not be deemed proceedings for purposes of this representation), which is required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and is not described therein, or which, singularly or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; and no such proceedings are threatened in writing or, to the Company’s knowledge after reasonable investigation and due diligence inquiry (“Knowledge”), contemplated by governmental or regulatory authorities or threatened by others. The Company is in compliance 
   

  

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    with all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, regulations, orders and decrees governing its business, including those of the FDA, or any other federal, state or foreign agencies or bodies engaged in the regulation of pharmaceuticals or biohazardous substances or materials, except where noncompliance would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company is not a party to any corporate integrity agreements, monitoring agreements, consent decrees, settlement orders, or similar agreements with or imposed by any governmental or regulatory authority. Additionally, neither the Company nor any of its employees, officers, directors, or agents has been excluded, suspended or debarred from participation in any U.S. federal health care program or human clinical research or, to the Knowledge of the Company, is subject to a governmental inquiry, investigation, proceeding, or other similar action that could reasonably be expected to result in debarment, suspension, or exclusion.
   

  

  
   (s)
   
    No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company, the issue and sale of the Shares by the Company and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will not (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, constitute a default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, encumbrance, security interest, claim or charge upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to, 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, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or (iii) result in the violation of any law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court or governmental or regulatory agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties or assets except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation or default that would not, singularly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change. A “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition that gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company.
   

  

  
   (t)
   
    No Violation or Default.  The Company is not (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws, (ii) in default in any respect, and no event has occurred which, 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, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its property or assets is subject or (iii) in violation in any respect of any law, ordinance, governmental rule, regulation or court order, decree or judgment to which it or its property or assets may be subject (including, without limitation, those administered by the FDA or by any foreign, federal, state or local governmental or regulatory authority performing functions similar to those performed by the FDA) except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such violation or default that would not, singularly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change.
   

  

  
   (u)
   
    Intellectual Property Rights.  (i) The Company owns, possesses or has the legal right to all patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, domain names and other source indicators, copyrights and copyrightable works, know-how (including trade secrets, data and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), 
   

  

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    software, proprietary or confidential information and all other worldwide intellectual property and proprietary rights (including all registrations, and applications for registration of, and all goodwill associated with, the foregoing) (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) used in, or necessary for, the conduct of its business as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; (ii) to the Knowledge of the Company, the Company’s conduct of its businesses has not infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated in any material respect, and does not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate in any material respect, any valid and enforceable Intellectual Property rights of any person; (iii) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, there is no claim, action, suit, investigation or proceeding pending against, or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened against, the Company (A) based upon, or challenging or seeking to deny or restrict, any rights of the Company in any Intellectual Property owned by or exclusively licensed by the Company, (B) challenging the ownership, validity, enforceability or scope of any Intellectual Property owned or exclusively licensed by the Company, or (C) alleging that the Company has infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated any Intellectual Property of any person in any material respect; (iv) to the Knowledge of the Company, the Intellectual Property owned or exclusively licensed by the Company has not been infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated by any person; (v) none of the Intellectual Property owned or exclusively licensed by the Company has been adjudged invalid or unenforceable and, to the Knowledge of the Company, all Intellectual Property owned or exclusively licensed by the Company is valid and enforceable; and (vi) the Company has taken reasonable steps in accordance with normal industry practice to maintain the confidentiality of all Intellectual Property of the Company the value of which to the Company is contingent upon maintaining the confidentiality thereof, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, no such Intellectual Property has been disclosed other than to employees, representatives, and agents of the Company, all of whom are bound by written confidentiality agreements. 
   

  

  
   (v)
   
    Licenses or Permits.  The Company possesses all licenses, certificates, authorizations, approvals, registrations, clearances, exemptions, and permits issued by, and has made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate local, state, federal or foreign governmental or regulatory agencies or bodies, including, without limitation, those administered or required by the FDA or by any foreign, federal, state or local governmental or regulatory authority performing functions similar to those performed by the FDA that are necessary for the ownership or lease of its properties or the conduct of its business as described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (collectively, the “Governmental Permits”) except where any failures to possess or make the same would not, singularly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change. The Company is in compliance with all such Governmental Permits, except where the failure to be in compliance would not, singularly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change; all such Governmental Permits are valid and in full force and effect, except where the validity or failure to be in full force and effect would not, singularly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change. The Company has not received written notification of any revocation, modification, suspension, termination or invalidation (or proceedings related thereto) of any such Governmental Permit and the Company has no reason to believe that any such Governmental Permit will not be renewed.
   

  

  
   (w)
   
    Title to Properties.  Except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company has good and marketable title to all of the real and personal property and other assets reflected as owned in the financial statements referred to in ‎Section 2(m)  above (or elsewhere in the 
   

  

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    Registration Statement or the Prospectus, in each case free and clear of any security interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances, equities, adverse claims and other defects.  The real property, improvements, equipment and personal property held under lease by the Company are held under valid and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such real property, improvements, equipment or personal property by the Company.
   

  

  
   (x)
   
    Tax Law Compliance.  The Company has filed all necessary federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns or has properly requested extensions thereof and has paid all taxes required to be paid by the Company and, if due and payable, any related or similar assessment, fine or penalty levied against the Company except as may be being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings.  The Company has made adequate charges, accruals and reserves in the applicable financial statements referred to in ‎Section 2(m) above in respect of all federal, state and foreign income and franchise taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of the Company has not been finally determined.
   

  

  
   (y)
   
    Company Not an “Investment Company.”  The Company is not, and will not be, either after receipt of payment for the Shares or after the application of the proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, required to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
   

  

  
   (z)
   
    Insurance.  Except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company is insured by recognized, financially sound and reputable institutions with policies in such amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks as are generally deemed adequate and customary for its business including, but not limited to, policies covering real and personal property owned or leased by the Company against theft, damage, destruction, acts of vandalism and earthquakes and policies covering the Company for product liability claims and clinical trial liability claims.  The Company has no reason to believe that it will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that could not be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.  The Company has not been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.
   

  

  
   (aa)
   
    No Price Stabilization or Manipulation; Compliance with Regulation M.  The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Common Shares or of any “reference security” (as defined in Rule 100 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act (“Regulation M”)) with respect to the Common Shares, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or otherwise, and has taken no action which would directly or indirectly violate Regulation M.  
   

  

  
   (bb)
   
    Related Party Transactions.  There are no business relationships or related-party transactions involving the Company or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which have not been described as required. 
   

  

  
   (cc)
   
    FINRA Matters.  All of the information provided to the Agent or to counsel for the Agent by the Company, its counsel, its officers and directors and the holders of any securities (debt 
   

  

  11

  

  
   
    or equity) or options to acquire any securities of the Company in connection with the offering of the Shares is true, complete, correct and compliant with Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.’s (“FINRA”) rules and any letters, filings or other supplemental information provided to FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rules or NASD Conduct Rules is true, complete and correct. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act specified in FINRA Rule 5110(h)(1)(C).  
   

  

  
   (dd)
   
    No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments.  Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s Knowledge, any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or other person while acting on behalf of the Company, have (i) used any corporate funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity, (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees, political parties or campaigns, political party officials, or candidates for political office from corporate funds, (iii) violated or is in violation of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any applicable anti-corruption laws, rules, or regulations of any other jurisdiction in which the Company conducts business, or (iv) made any other unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback, or other unlawful payment to any person.
   

  

  
   (ee)
   
    Compliance with Environmental Laws and Hazardous Materials.  The Company is in compliance in all material respects with all foreign, federal, state and local rules, laws and regulations relating to the use, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous or toxic substances or waste and protection of health and safety or the environment which are applicable to its business. There has been no storage, generation, transportation, handling, treatment, disposal, discharge, emission, or other release of any kind of toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances by, due to, or caused by the Company (or, to the Company’s Knowledge, any other entity for whose acts or omissions the Company is or may otherwise be liable) upon any of the property now or previously owned or leased by the Company, or upon any other property, in violation of any law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit or which would, under any law, statute, ordinance, rule (including rule of common law), regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit, give rise to any liability that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; and there has been no disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind onto such property or into the environment surrounding such property of any toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances with respect to which the Company has Knowledge.
   

  

  
   (ff)
   
    [Reserved].
   

  

  
   (gg)
   
    ERISA Compliance.  No “prohibited transaction” (as defined in Section 406 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”), or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time (the “Code”)) or “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 302 of ERISA) or any of the events set forth in Section 4043(b) of ERISA (other than events with respect to which the thirty (30)-day notice requirement under Section 4043 of ERISA has been waived) has occurred or could reasonably be expected to occur with respect to any employee benefit plan of the Company which could, singularly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change. Each employee benefit plan of the Company is in compliance in all material respects with its terms and applicable law, including ERISA and the Code. The Company has not incurred and could not reasonably be expected to incur material liability under Title IV of 
   

  

  12

  

  
   
    ERISA or with respect to any “multiemployer plan” as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA. Each pension plan for which the Company would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified, and to the Company’s Knowledge, nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which could, singularly or in the aggregate, cause the loss of such qualification. 
   

  

  
   (hh)
   
    Brokers.  Except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, there is no broker, finder or other party that is entitled to receive from the Company any brokerage or finder’s fee or other fee or commission as a result of any transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
   

  

  
   (ii)
   
    No Outstanding Loans or Other Extensions of Credit.  The Company does not have any outstanding extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan, to or for any director or executive officer (or equivalent thereof) of the Company except for such extensions of credit as are expressly permitted by Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act.
   

  

  
   (jj)
   
    Compliance with Laws.  The Company has been and is in compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, except where failure to be so in compliance could not be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change.
   

  

  
   (kk)
   
    [Reserved].  
   

  

  
   (ll)
   
    Anti-Corruption and Anti-Bribery Laws.  Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s Knowledge, any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or other person while acting on behalf of the Company, has (i) used any corporate funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity, (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees, political parties or campaigns, political party officials, or candidates for political office from corporate funds, (iii) violated or is in violation of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any applicable anti-corruption laws, rules, or regulations of any other jurisdiction in which the Company conducts business, or (iv) made any other unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback, or other unlawful payment to any person.
   

  

  
   (mm)
   
    Money Laundering Laws.  The operations of the Company are, and have been conducted at all times, in compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the U.S. Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company conducts business, the applicable rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), 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 Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened.
   

  

  
   (nn)
   
    Compliance with OFAC.  
   

  

  
   (a)
   
    Neither the Company nor its directors, officers or employees, nor, to the Company’s Knowledge, any agent, affiliate, representative or other person acting on behalf 
   

  

  13

  

  
   
    of the Company, is an individual or entity (“Person”) that is, or is 50% or more owned or otherwise controlled by a Person that is: (i) 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”), the Swiss Secretariat of Economic Affairs or other relevant sanctions authority or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of a U.S. government embargo (including, without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria and the Crimea).
   

  

  
   (b)
   
    The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person: (i) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions, or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of a U.S. government embargo; or (ii) 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).
   

  

  
   (c)
   
    For the past five (5) years, the Company has not knowingly engaged in, and is not now knowingly engaged in any direct or indirect dealings or transactions with any Person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions or any country or territory that, at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of a U.S. government embargo.
   

  

  
   (oo)
   
    Sarbanes-Oxley.  The Company is in compliance, in all material respects, with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
   

  

  
   (pp)
   
    Duties, Transfer Taxes, Etc.  No stamp or other issuance or transfer taxes or duties and no capital gains, income, withholding or other taxes are payable by the Agent in the United States or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein in connection with the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement by the Company or the sale and delivery by the Company of the Shares.
   

  

  
   (qq)
   
    Cybersecurity. The Company’s information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) are (i) adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company as currently conducted, and (ii) to the Company’s Knowledge, free and clear of all material bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants. The Company has implemented and maintained commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards reasonably designed to maintain and protect its material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and data (including the data of its customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained by or on behalf of them) (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”). To the Company’s Knowledge, there has been no security breach or attack or other compromise of or relating to any of the Company’s 
   

  

  14

  

  
   
    IT Systems and Data. The Company has not been notified of, and has no Knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any security breach, attack or compromise to its IT Systems and Data. The Company is presently in material compliance with, all applicable laws, statutes or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, industry standards, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification. The Company has implemented backup and disaster recovery technology reasonably consistent with industry standards and practice.
   

  

  
   (rr)
   
    Compliance with Data Privacy Laws. The Company is in compliance with all applicable data privacy and security laws and regulations, including, without limitation, HIPAA and the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) (EU 2016/679) (collectively, “Privacy Laws”). The Company has in place, complies with, and takes appropriate steps reasonably designed to ensure compliance in all material respects with its policies and procedures relating to data privacy and security and the collection, storage, use, disclosure, handling and analysis of Personal Data (the “Policies”). The Company provides notice of its relevant Policies to its customers, employees, third party vendors and representatives where it is required to do so under Privacy Laws. The Policies provide sufficient notice of the Company’s then-current privacy practices relating to its subject matter and such Policies do not contain any material omissions of the Company’s then-current privacy practices. “Personal Data” means (i) a natural persons’ name, street address, telephone number, email address, photograph, social security number, bank information, or customer or account number; (ii) any information that would be considered an unfair or deceptive trade practice under Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act; (iii) Protected Health Information as defined by HIPAA; (iv) “personal data” as defined by GDPR; and (v) any other piece of information that allows the identification of such natural person or household. To the Company’s Knowledge, none of such disclosures made or contained in any of the Policies have been inaccurate, misleading, deceptive or in violation of any Privacy Laws in any material respect. To the Company’s Knowledge, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or any other agreement referred to in this Agreement will not result in a breach of any Privacy Laws or Policies. The Company (i) has not received written notice of any violation of, any of the Privacy Laws, and has no Knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice; (ii) is not currently conducting or paying for, in whole or in part, any investigation, remediation or other corrective action pursuant to any Privacy Law; and (iii) is not a party to any order of any court or regulatory authority that imposes on the Company any obligations or liabilities under any Privacy Law.
   

  

  
   (ss)
   
    Other Underwriting Agreements. The Company is not a party to any agreement with an agent or underwriter for any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction.  
   

  

  
   (tt)
   
    Regulatory Matters. The studies, tests and preclinical or clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of the Company or in which the Company’s product candidates participated (the “Company Studies and Trials”) were and, if still pending, are being, conducted in all material respects in accordance with experimental protocols, procedures and controls pursuant to, where applicable, accepted professional scientific standards, and all applicable federal, state, or foreign laws, rules, orders, or regulations, including, without limitation, 21 C.F.R. Parts 50, 54, 56, 58, and 312; the descriptions of the results of the Company Studies and Trials contained in the 
   

  

  15

  

  
   
    Registration Statement and the Prospectus are accurate in all material respects; the Company has no Knowledge of any other studies or trials not described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the results of which are inconsistent with or call in question the results described or referred to in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and the Company has not received any notices or correspondence with the FDA or any foreign, state or local governmental body exercising comparable authority requiring the termination, suspension or material modification of any Company Studies or Trials that termination, suspension or material modification would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change and, to the Company’s Knowledge, there are no reasonable grounds for the same. The Company has obtained (or caused to be obtained) informed consent by or on behalf of each human subject who participated in the Company Studies and Trials. To the extent applicable, in using or disclosing patient information received by the Company in connection with the Company Studies and Trials, the Company has complied in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, including, without limitation, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, “HIPAA”). To the Company’s Knowledge, none of the Company Studies and Trials involved any investigator who has been disqualified as a clinical investigator or has been found by the FDA to have engaged in scientific misconduct. To the Company’s Knowledge, the manufacturing facilities and operations of its suppliers are operated in compliance in all material respects with all applicable statutes, rules, regulations and policies of the FDA and comparable regulatory agencies outside of the United States to which the Company is subject.
   

  

  
   (uu)
   
    Regulatory Compliance.  The Company has not received any FDA Form 483, notice of adverse filing, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or written notice from the FDA, or any other court or arbitrator or federal, state, local, or foreign governmental or regulatory authority, alleging or asserting noncompliance with the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. § 301 et seq.) (the “FDCA”) or other Health Care Law or any Governmental Permit. Each of the Company and its directors, officers, employees and agents is and has been in material compliance with applicable health care laws, including without limitation, the FDCA, the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. § 801 et seq.), the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. § 201 et seq.), the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b)), the civil False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. § 3729 et seq.), the criminal False Claims Law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(a)), the Civil Monetary Penalties Law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7a), all criminal laws relating to health care fraud and abuse, including but not limited to 18 U.S.C. Sections 286, 287, 1035, 1347 and 1349, and the health care fraud criminal provisions under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. § 1320d et seq.), as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 (42 U.S.C. § 17921 et seq.), the exclusions law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7), Medicare (Title XVIII of the Social Security Act), Medicaid (Title XIX of the Social Security Act), the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7h), and the regulations promulgated pursuant to such laws, and comparable state laws, and all other local, state, federal, national, supranational, and foreign health care laws (collectively, “Health Care Laws”). Neither the Company nor any of its officers, directors, employees, or agents has been or is currently excluded from participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs or any other state or federal health care program. The Company is not party to or does not have any ongoing reporting obligations pursuant to any corporate integrity agreement, deferred or non-prosecution agreement, monitoring agreement, consent decree, settlement order, plan of correction or similar agreement imposed by any governmental authority.
   

  

  16

  

  
   (vv)
   
    No Labor Dispute. There is (A) no significant unfair labor practice complaint pending against the Company, nor to the Company’s Knowledge, threatened against it, before the National Labor Relations Board, any state or local labor relation board or any foreign labor relations board, and no significant grievance or significant arbitration proceeding arising out of or under any collective bargaining agreement is so pending against the Company, or, to the Company’s Knowledge, threatened against it and (B) no labor disturbance by or dispute with, employees of the Company exists or, to the Company’s Knowledge, is contemplated or threatened, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, that could reasonably be expected, singularly or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Change. The Company is not aware that any key employee or significant group of employees of the Company plans to terminate employment with the Company.
   

  

  
   (ww)
   
    PFIC. The Company is not a Passive Foreign Investment Company (“PFIC”) within the meaning of Section 1296 of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
   

  

  
   (xx)
   
    No Rated Securities. No securities issued or guaranteed by, or loans to, the Company are rated by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) of the rules and regulations under the Securities Act.
   

  

  Any certificate signed by any officer or representative of the Company and delivered to the Agent or counsel for the Agent in connection with an issuance of Shares shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Agent as to the matters covered thereby on the date of such certificate.

  The Company acknowledges that the Agent and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered pursuant to ‎Section 4(o) hereof, counsel to the Company and counsel to the Agent, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and hereby consents to such reliance.

  
   Section 3.
   
      ISSUANCE AND SALE OF COMMON SHARES
   

  

  
   (a)
   
    Sale of Securities.  On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company and the Agent agree that the Company may from time to time seek to sell Shares through the Agent, acting as sales agent, or directly to the Agent, acting as principal, as follows, with an aggregate Sales Price of up to the Maximum Program Amount, based on and in accordance with Issuance Notices as the Company may deliver, during the Agency Period.  
   

  

  
   (b)
   
    Mechanics of Issuances. 
   

  

  	(i)  Issuance Notice.  Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, on any Trading Day during the Agency Period on which the conditions set forth in ‎Section 5(a) and ‎Section 5(b) shall have been satisfied, the Company may exercise its right to request an issuance of Shares by delivering to the Agent an Issuance Notice; provided, however, that (A) in no event may the Company deliver an Issuance Notice to the extent that the sum of (x) the aggregate Sales Price of the requested Issuance Amount, plus (y) the aggregate Sales Price of all Shares issued 

  17

  

  under all previous Issuance Notices effected pursuant to this Agreement, would exceed the Maximum Program Amount; and (B) prior to delivery of any Issuance Notice, the period set forth for any previous Issuance Notice shall have expired or been terminated. An Issuance Notice shall be considered delivered on the Trading Day that it is received by e‐mail to the persons set forth in Schedule A hereto and confirmed by the Company by telephone (including a voicemail message to the persons so identified), with the understanding that, with adequate prior written notice, the Agent may modify the list of such persons from time to time. 

  	(ii)	Agent Efforts.  Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, upon the receipt of an Issuance Notice, the Agent will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal sales and trading practices to place the Shares with respect to which the Agent has agreed to act as sales agent, subject to, and in accordance with the information specified in, the Issuance Notice, unless the sale of the Shares described therein has been suspended, cancelled or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.  For the avoidance of doubt, the parties to this Agreement may modify an Issuance Notice at any time provided they both agree in writing to any such modification.  

  	(iii)	Method of Offer and Sale.  The Shares may be offered and sold (A) in privately negotiated transactions with the consent of the Company; (B) as block transactions; or (C) by any other method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act, including sales made directly on the Principal Market or sales made into any other existing trading market of the Common Shares.  Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to require either party to agree to the method of offer and sale specified in the preceding sentence, and (except as specified in clauses (A) and (B) above) the method of placement of any Shares by the Agent shall be at the Agent’s discretion.

  	(iv)	Confirmation to the Company.  If acting as sales agent hereunder, the Agent will provide written confirmation to the Company no later than the opening of the Trading Day next following the Trading Day on which it has placed Shares hereunder setting forth the number of Shares sold on such Trading Day, the corresponding Sales Price and the Issuance Price payable to the Company in respect thereof.  

  	(v)	Settlement.  Each issuance of Shares will be settled on the applicable Settlement Date for such issuance of Shares and, subject to the provisions of ‎Section 5, on or before each Settlement Date, the Company will, or will cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Shares being sold by crediting the Agent or its designee’s account at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian (DWAC) System, or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto and, upon receipt of such Shares, which in all cases shall be freely tradable, transferable, registered shares in good deliverable form, the Agent will deliver, by wire transfer of immediately available funds, the related Issuance Price in same day funds delivered to an account designated by the Company prior to the Settlement Date.  The Company may sell Shares to the Agent as principal at a price agreed upon at each relevant time Shares are sold pursuant to this Agreement (each, a “Time of Sale”).  

  	(vi)	Suspension or Termination of Sales.  Consistent with standard market settlement practices, the Company or the Agent may, upon notice to the other party hereto in writing (including by email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party whose names are 

  18

  

  set forth on Schedule A) or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable email), suspend any sale of Shares, and the period set forth in an Issuance Notice shall immediately terminate; provided, however, that (A) such suspension and termination shall not affect or impair either party’s obligations with respect to any Shares placed or sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice; (B) if the Company suspends or terminates any sale of Shares after the Agent confirms such sale to the Company, the Company shall still be obligated to comply with ‎Section 3(b)(v) with respect to such Shares; and (C) if the Company defaults in its obligation to deliver Shares on a Settlement Date, the Company agrees that it will hold the Agent harmless against any loss, claim, damage or expense (including, without limitation, penalties, interest and reasonable and documented legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company (provided, however, that such default was not caused by any failure by the Agent to fulfill its obligations hereunder). The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that, in performing its obligations under this Agreement, the Agent may borrow Common Shares from stock lenders in the event that the Company has not delivered Shares to settle sales as required by subsection (v) above, and may use the Shares to settle or close out such borrowings.  The Company agrees that no such notice shall be effective against the Agent unless it is made to the persons identified in writing by the Agent pursuant to ‎Section 3(b)(i).  

  	(vii)	No Guarantee of Placement, Etc.  The Company acknowledges and agrees that (A) there can be no assurance that the Agent will be successful in placing Shares; (B) the Agent will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other Person if it does not sell Shares; and (C) the Agent shall be under no obligation to purchase Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise specifically agreed by the Agent and the Company.

  (viii)	Material Non-Public Information.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company and the Agent agree that the Company shall not deliver any Issuance Notice to the Agent, and the Agent shall not be obligated to place any Shares, during any period in which the Company is in possession of material non-public information.

  
   (c)
   
    Fees.  As compensation for services rendered, the Company shall pay to the Agent, on the applicable Settlement Date, the Selling Commission for the applicable Issuance Amount (including with respect to any suspended or terminated sale pursuant to Section 3(b)(vi)) by the Agent deducting the Selling Commission from the applicable Issuance Amount.
   

  

  
   (d)
   
    Expenses.  The Company agrees to pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the Shares (including all printing and engraving costs); (ii) all fees and expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Shares; (iii) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares; (iv) all fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other advisors; (v) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), the Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement; (vi) all filing fees, attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Agent in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining 
   

  

  19

  

  
   
    exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Shares for offer and sale under the state securities or blue sky laws or the provincial securities laws of Canada, and, if requested by the Agent, preparing and printing a “Blue Sky Survey” or memorandum and a “Canadian wrapper,” and any supplements thereto, advising the Agent of such qualifications, registrations, determinations and exemptions; (vii) the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Agent’s counsel, including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Agent in connection with, FINRA review, if any, and approval of the Agent’s participation in the offering and distribution of the Shares; (viii) the filing fees incident to FINRA review, if any; (ix) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the preparation or dissemination of any electronic road show, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives, employees and officers of the Company and of the Agent and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show; and (x) the fees and expenses associated with listing the Shares on the Principal Market. The fees and disbursements of the Agent’s counsel pursuant to subsections (vi) and (vii) above shall not exceed (A) $75,000 in connection with the first Issuance Notice and (B) $15,000 in connection with each Triggering Event Date (as defined below) on which the Company is required to provide a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o).
   

  

  
   Section 4.
   
      ADDITIONAL COVENANTS
   

  

  The Company covenants and agrees with the Agent as follows, in addition to any other covenants and agreements made elsewhere in this Agreement:

  
   (a)
   
    Exchange Act Compliance.  During the Agency Period, the Company shall (i) file, on a timely basis, with the Commission all reports and documents required to be filed under Section 13, 14 or 15 of the Exchange Act in the manner and within the time periods required by the Exchange Act; and (ii) either (A) include in its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and its annual reports on Form 10-K, a summary detailing, for the relevant reporting period, (1) the number of Shares sold through the Agent pursuant to this Agreement and (2) the net proceeds received by the Company from such sales or (B) prepare a prospectus supplement containing, or include in such other filing permitted by the Securities Act or Exchange Act (each an “Interim Prospectus Supplement”), such summary information and, at least once a quarter and subject to this Section 4, file such Interim Prospectus Supplement pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (and within the time periods required by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430B under the Securities Act)). For the avoidance of doubt, the Company’s compliance with the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act applicable to the Company shall be deemed to satisfy this Section 4(a).
   

  

  
   (b)
   
    Securities Act Compliance.  After the date of this Agreement, the Company shall promptly advise the Agent in writing (i) of the receipt of any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; (ii) of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, or any Free Writing Prospectus; (iii) of the time and date that any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement 
   

  

  20

  

  
   
    becomes effective; and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove, suspend or terminate from listing or quotation the Common Shares from any securities exchange upon which they are listed for trading or included or designated for quotation, or of the threatening or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes.  If the Commission shall enter any such stop order at any time, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible moment.  Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with the provisions of Rule 424(b) and Rule 433, as applicable, under the Securities Act and will use its reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made by the Company under such Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 were received in a timely manner by the Commission.  
   

  

  
   (c)
   
    Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus and Other Securities Act Matters.  If any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus so that the Prospectus does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if in the opinion of the Agent or counsel for the Agent it is otherwise necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, including the Securities Act, the Company agrees (subject to Sections 4(d) and 4(f)) to promptly prepare, file with the Commission and furnish at its own expense to the Agent, amendments or supplements to the Prospectus (including by filing a document incorporated by reference therein) so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law including the Securities Act.  Neither the Agent’s consent to, or delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the Company’s obligations under Sections 4(d) and 4(f). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be required to file such amendment or supplement if there is no pending Issuance Notice and the Company believes that it is in its best interest not to file such amendment or supplement.
   

  

  
   (d)
   
    Agent’s Review of Proposed Amendments and Supplements.  Prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement (including any registration statement filed under Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act) or the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement through incorporation of any report filed under the Exchange Act), the Company shall furnish to the Agent for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, insofar as such proposed amendment or supplement relates to the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Company shall not file or use any such proposed amendment or supplement without the Agent’s prior consent, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule; provided, that the determination to file or not to file any amendment or supplement with the Commission shall be based on the Company’s reasonable opinion and made exclusively by the Company.
   

  

  21

  

  
   (e)
   
    Use of Free Writing Prospectus. Neither the Company nor the Agent has prepared, used, referred to or distributed, or will prepare, use, refer to or distribute, without the other party’s prior written consent, any “written communication” that constitutes a “free writing prospectus” as such terms are defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act with respect to the offering contemplated by this Agreement (any such free writing prospectus being referred to herein as a “Free Writing Prospectus”).
   

  

  
   (f)
   
    Free Writing Prospectuses.  The Company shall furnish to the Agent for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and the Company shall not file, use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto without the Agent’s consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.  The Company shall furnish to the Agent, without charge, as many copies of any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, or used by the Company, as the Agent may reasonably request.  If at any time when a prospectus is required by the Securities Act (including, without limitation, pursuant to Rule 173(d)) to be delivered in connection with sales of the Shares (but in any event if at any time through and including the date of this Agreement) there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company shall promptly amend or supplement such free writing prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict or so that the statements in such free writing prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at such subsequent time, not misleading, as the case may be; provided, however, that prior to amending or supplementing any such free writing prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Agent for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of such proposed amended or supplemented free writing prospectus and the Company shall not file, use or refer to any such amended or supplemented free writing prospectus without the Agent’s consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.
   

  

  
   (g)
   
    Filing of Agent Free Writing Prospectuses.  The Company shall not take any action that would result in the Agent or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Agent that the Agent otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.
   

  

  
   (h)
   
    Copies of Registration Statement and Prospectus.  After the date of this Agreement through the last time that a prospectus is required by the Securities Act (including, without limitation, pursuant to Rule 173(d)) to be delivered in connection with sales of the Shares, the Company agrees to furnish the Agent with copies (which may be electronic copies) of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, and with copies of the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto in the form in which it is filed with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act or Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, both in such quantities as the Agent may reasonably request from time to time; and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required under 
   

  

  22

  

  
   
    the Securities Act or under the blue sky or securities laws of any jurisdiction at any time on or prior to the applicable Settlement Date for any period set forth in an Issuance Notice in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares and if at such time any event has occurred 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 any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it is necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, to notify the Agent and to request that the Agent suspend offers to sell Shares (and, if so notified, the Agent shall cease such offers as soon as practicable); and if the Company decides to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented, to advise the Agent promptly by telephone (with confirmation in writing) and to prepare and cause to be filed promptly with the Commission an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, including by filing a document incorporated by reference therein; provided, however, that if during such same period the Agent is required to deliver a prospectus in respect of transactions in the Shares, the Company shall promptly prepare and file with the Commission such an amendment or supplement.
   

  

  
   (i)
   
    Blue Sky Compliance.  The Company shall cooperate with the Agent and counsel for the Agent to qualify or register the Shares for sale under (or obtain exemptions from the application of) the state securities or blue sky laws or Canadian provincial securities laws of those jurisdictions designated by the Agent, shall comply with such laws and shall continue such qualifications, registrations and exemptions in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Shares.  The Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign corporation.  The Company will advise the Agent promptly of the suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such exemption relating to) the Shares for offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such qualification, registration or exemption, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal thereof at the earliest possible moment.
   

  

  
   (j)
   
    Earnings Statement.  As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Agent an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 under the Securities Act.  For the avoidance of doubt, the Company’s compliance with the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act applicable to the Company shall be deemed to satisfy this Section 4(j).
   

  

  
   (k)
   
    Listing; Reservation of Shares.  (a)  The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the listing of the Shares on the Principal Market; and (b) the Company will reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive rights, Shares for the purpose of enabling the Company to satisfy its obligations under this Agreement.
   

  

  23

  

  
   (l)
   
    Transfer Agent.  The Company shall engage and maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Shares.  
   

  

  
   (m)
   
    Due Diligence.   During the term of this Agreement, the Company will reasonably cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by the Agent in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, providing information and making available documents and senior corporate officers, during normal business hours and at the Company’s principal offices, as the Agent may reasonably request from time to time.
   

  

  
   (n)
   
    Representations and Warranties.  The Company acknowledges that each delivery of an Issuance Notice and each delivery of Shares on a Settlement Date shall be deemed to be (i) an affirmation to the Agent that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in or made pursuant to this Agreement are true and correct as of the date of such Issuance Notice or of such Settlement Date, as the case may be, as though made at and as of each such date, except as may be disclosed in the Prospectus (including any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements thereto); and (ii) an undertaking that the Company will advise the Agent if any of such representations and warranties will not be true and correct as of the Settlement Date for the Shares relating to such Issuance Notice, as though made at and as of each such date (except that such representations and warranties shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented relating to such Shares).
   

  

  
   (o)
   
    Deliverables at Triggering Event Dates; Certificates. The Company agrees that on or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and, during the term of this Agreement after the date of the first Issuance Notice, upon:
   

  

  		(A)	the filing of the Prospectus or the amendment or supplement of any Registration Statement or Prospectus (other than a prospectus supplement relating solely to an offering of securities other than the Shares or a prospectus filed pursuant to Section 4(a)(ii)(B)), by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker or supplement, but not by means of incorporation of documents by reference into the Registration Statement or Prospectus; 

   

  		(B)	the filing with the Commission of an annual report on Form 10-K or a quarterly report on Form 10-Q (including any Form 10-K/A or Form 10-Q/A containing amended financial information or a material amendment to the previously filed annual report on Form 10-K or quarterly report on Form 10-Q), in each case, of the Company; or

   

  		(C)	the filing with the Commission of a current report on Form 8-K of the Company containing amended financial information (other than information “furnished” pursuant to Item 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or to provide disclosure pursuant to Item 8.01 of Form 8-K relating to reclassification of certain properties as discontinued operations in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144) that is material to the offering of securities of the Company in the Agent’s reasonable discretion; 

  (any such event, a “Triggering Event Date”), the Company shall furnish the Agent (but in the case of clause (C) above only if the Agent reasonably determines that the information contained in such current report on Form 8-K of the Company is material) with a certificate as of the Triggering Event Date, in the form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, 

  24

  

  substantially similar to the form previously provided to the Agent and its counsel, modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented, (A) confirming that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and correct, (B) confirming that the Company has performed all of its obligations hereunder to be performed on or prior to the date of such certificate and as to the matters set forth in ‎Section 5(a)(iii) hereof, and (C) containing any other certification that the Agent shall reasonably request. The requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 4(o) shall be waived for any Triggering Event Date occurring at a time when no Issuance Notice is pending or a suspension is in effect, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers instructions for the sale of Shares hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Triggering Event Date) and the next occurring Triggering Event Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Shares following a Triggering Event Date when a suspension was in effect and did not provide the Agent with a certificate under this Section 4(o), then before the Company delivers the instructions for the sale of Shares or the Agent sells any Shares pursuant to such instructions, the Company shall provide the Agent with a certificate in conformity with this Section 4(o) dated as of the date that the instructions for the sale of Shares are issued.

  
   (p)
   
    Legal Opinions.  On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and on or prior to each Triggering Event Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o) for which no waiver is applicable and excluding the date of this Agreement, a negative assurances letter and the written legal opinion of Cooley LLP, counsel to the Company, Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel to the Agent, and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, intellectual property counsel to the Company, each dated the date of delivery, shall be furnished to the Agent, each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, substantially similar to the form previously provided to the Agent and its counsel, modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented. In lieu of such opinions for subsequent periodic filings, in the discretion of the Agent, the Company may furnish a reliance letter from such counsel to the Agent, permitting the Agent to rely on a previously delivered opinion letter, modified as appropriate for any passage of time or Triggering Event Date (except that statements in such prior opinion shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented as of such Triggering Event Date). 
   

  

  
   (q)
   
    Comfort Letter. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and on or prior to each Triggering Event Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o) for which no waiver is applicable and excluding the date of this Agreement, the Company shall cause BDO USA, LLP, the independent registered public accounting firm who has audited the financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, to furnish the Agent a comfort letter, dated the date of delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel, substantially similar to the form previously provided to the Agent and its counsel; provided, however, that any such comfort letter will only be required on the Triggering Event Date specified to the extent that it contains financial statements filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act and incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into a Prospectus.  If requested by the Agent, the Company shall also cause a comfort letter to be furnished to the Agent as promptly as possible following the occurrence of any material transaction or event requiring the filing of a current report on Form 8-K containing 
   

  

  25

  

  
   
    material amended financial information of the Company, including the restatement of the Company’s financial statements. The Company shall be required to furnish no more than one comfort letter hereunder per each filing of an annual report on Form 10-K or a quarterly report on Form 10-Q.
   

  

  	(r)    Secretary’s Certificate. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and on or prior to each Triggering Event Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o) for which no waiver is applicable and excluding the date of this Agreement, the Company shall furnish the Agent a certificate executed by the Secretary of the Company, signing in such capacity, dated the date of delivery (i) certifying that attached thereto are true and complete copies of the resolutions duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company authorizing the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (including, without limitation, the issuance of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement), which authorization shall be in full force and effect on and as of the date of such certificate, (ii) certifying and attesting to the office, incumbency, due authority and specimen signatures of each Person who executed this Agreement for or on behalf of the Company, and (iii) containing any other certification that the Agent shall reasonably request. 

  
   (a)
   
    Agent’s Own Account; Clients’ Account.  The Company consents to the Agent trading, in compliance with applicable law, in the Common Shares for the Agent’s own account and for the account of its clients at the same time as sales of the Shares occur pursuant to this Agreement.
   

  

  
   (r)
   
    Investment Limitation.  The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the proceeds received by the Company from its sale of the Shares in such a manner as would require the Company to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.
   

  

  
   (s)
   
    Market Activities.  The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares or any other reference security, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or otherwise, and the Company will, and shall cause each of its controlled affiliates to, comply with all applicable provisions of Regulation M.  If the limitations of Rule 102 of Regulation M (“Rule 102”) do not apply with respect to the Shares or any other reference security pursuant to any exception set forth in Section (d) of Rule 102, then promptly upon notice from the Agent (or, if later, at the time stated in the notice), the Company will, and shall cause each of its controlled affiliates to, comply with Rule 102 as though such exception were not available but the other provisions of Rule 102 (as interpreted by the Commission) did apply. The Company shall promptly notify the Agent if it no longer meets the requirements set forth in Section (d) of Rule 102.  
   

  

  
   (t)
   
    Notice of Other Sale.  Without the written consent of the Agent, 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 Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares (other than Shares hereunder), warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire Common Shares, during the period beginning on the third Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which any Issuance Notice is delivered to the Agent hereunder and ending on the third Trading Day immediately following the Settlement Date with respect to Shares sold pursuant to such Issuance Notice; and 
   

  

  26

  

  
   
    will not directly or indirectly enter into any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Shares (other than the Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Common Shares prior to the termination of this Agreement; provided, however, that such restrictions will not be required in connection with the Company’s (i) issuance or sale of Common Shares, options to purchase Common Shares or Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of options or other equity awards pursuant to any employee or director share option, incentive or benefit plan, share purchase or ownership plan, long-term incentive plan, dividend reinvestment plan, inducement award under Nasdaq rules or other compensation plan of the Company, as in effect on the date of this Agreement, (ii) issuance or sale of Common Shares issuable upon exchange, conversion or redemption of securities or the exercise or vesting of warrants, options or other equity awards outstanding at the date of this Agreement, (iii) issuance or sale,  in an amount not to exceed 7.5% of the total outstanding shares of Common Stock, of Common Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares in connection with any strategic transaction including any joint venture, or any manufacturing, marketing, sponsored research, collaboration, license or distribution arrangement which transaction as a whole is not entered into primarily for capital raising purposes, (iv) issuance or sale,  in an amount not to exceed 7.5% of the total outstanding shares of Common Stock, of Common Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares as consideration for any merger, acquisition, other business combination, joint venture or strategic alliance occurring after the date of this Agreement which transaction as a whole is not entered into primarily for capital raising purposes, and (v) modification of any outstanding options, warrants of any rights to purchase or acquire Common Shares.  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, nothing herein shall be construed to restrict the Company’s ability, or require the Company to provide notice to the Agent, to file a registration statement under the Securities Act.
   

  

  
   Section 5.
   
      CONDITIONS TO DELIVERY OF ISSUANCE NOTICES AND TO SETTLEMENT
   

  

  
   (a)
   
    Conditions Precedent to the Right of the Company to Deliver an Issuance Notice and the Obligation of the Agent to Sell Shares.  The right of the Company to deliver an Issuance Notice hereunder is subject to the satisfaction, on the date of delivery of such Issuance Notice, and the obligation of the Agent to use its commercially reasonable efforts to place Shares during the applicable period set forth in the Issuance Notice is subject to the satisfaction, on each Trading Day during the applicable period set forth in the Issuance Notice, of each of the following conditions:
   

  

  (i)	Accuracy of the Company’s Representations and Warranties; Performance by the Company.  The Company shall have delivered the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 4(o) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 4(o). The Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to such date, including, but not limited to, the covenants contained in ‎Section 4(p), Section 4(q) and Section 4(r).

  27

  

  (ii)	No Injunction.  No statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction or any self-regulatory organization having authority over the matters contemplated hereby that prohibits or directly and materially adversely affects any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and no proceeding shall have been commenced that may have the effect of prohibiting or materially adversely affecting any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

  (iii)	Material Adverse Changes. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information, (a) in the judgment of the Agent there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Change; and (b) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any securities of the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as such term is defined for purposes of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act.

  (iv)	No Suspension of Trading in or Delisting of Common Shares; Other Events.  The trading of the Common Shares (including without limitation the Shares) shall not have been suspended by the Commission, the Principal Market or FINRA and the Common Shares (including without limitation the Shares) shall have been approved for listing or quotation on and shall not have been delisted from the Nasdaq Stock Market, the New York Stock Exchange or any of their constituent markets.  There shall not have occurred (and be continuing in the case of occurrences under clauses (i) and (ii) below) any of the following:  (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company’s securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the Principal Market or trading in securities generally on the Principal Market shall have been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on any of such stock exchanges by the Commission or FINRA; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by any of federal or New York, authorities; or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States’ or international political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of the Agent is material and adverse and makes it impracticable to market the Shares in the manner and on the terms described in the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities.

  
   (b)
   
    Documents Required to be Delivered on each Issuance Notice Date.  The Agent’s obligation to use its commercially reasonable efforts to place Shares hereunder shall additionally be conditioned upon the delivery to the Agent on or before the Issuance Notice Date of a certificate in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, executed by the Chief Executive Officer, President or Chief Financial Officer of the Company, to the effect that all conditions to the delivery of such Issuance Notice shall have been satisfied as at the date of such certificate 
   

  

  28

  

  
   
    (which certificate shall not be required if the foregoing representations shall be set forth in the Issuance Notice).
   

  

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

  

  
   Section 6.
   
      INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION
   

  

  
   (a)
   
    Indemnification of the Agent.  The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Agent, its officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls the Agent within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Agent or such officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or the laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Shares have been offered or sold or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, 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; (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act 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; or (iii) any act or failure to act or any alleged act or failure to act by the Agent in connection with, or relating in any manner to, the Common Shares or the offering contemplated hereby, and which is included as part of or referred to in any loss, claim, damage, liability or action arising out of or based upon any matter covered by clause (i) or (ii) above, provided that the Company shall not be liable under this clause (iii) to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction shall have determined by a final judgment that such loss, claim, damage, liability or action resulted directly from any such acts or failures to act undertaken or omitted to be taken by the Agent through its bad faith or willful misconduct, and to reimburse the Agent and each such officer, employee and controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Agent) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by the Agent or such officer, employee or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Agent expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any such Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such 
   

  

  29

  

  
   
    information furnished by the Agent to the Company consists of the information described in subsection (b) below.  The indemnity agreement set forth in this ‎Section 6(a)  shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.
   

  

  
   (b)
   
    Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers. The Agent agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company or any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or the laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Shares have been offered or sold or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof, as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, 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 (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act 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; but, for each of (i) and (ii) above, only to the extent arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Agent expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any such Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Agent to the Company consists of the information set forth in the first sentence of the ninth paragraph under the caption “Plan of Distribution” in the Prospectus, and to reimburse the Company and each such director, officer and controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and disbursements of one counsel chosen by the Company) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by the Company or such officer, director or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action. The indemnity agreement set forth in this ‎Section 6(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Agent or the Company may otherwise have.
   

  

  
   (c)
   
    Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures.  Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this ‎Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this ‎Section 6, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission to so notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than under the indemnity agreement contained in this ‎Section 6 or to the extent it is not prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure.  In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties 
   

  

  30

  

  
   
    similarly notified, by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties.  Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party’s election to so assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this ‎Section 6 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate counsel (together with local counsel), representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action), which counsel (together with any local counsel) for the indemnified parties shall be selected by the indemnified party (in the case of counsel for the indemnified parties referred to in ‎Section 6(a) and Section 6(b) above), (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action or (iii) the indemnifying party has authorized in writing the employment of counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying party, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party and shall be paid as they are incurred.
   

  

  
   (d)
   
    Settlements.  The indemnifying party under this ‎Section 6 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment.  Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 6(c) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request; and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.  No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding.
   

  

  
   (e)
   
    Contribution.  If the indemnification provided for in this ‎Section 6 is for any reason held to be unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect 
   

  

  31

  

  
   
    of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement; or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total gross proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total commissions received by the Agent.  The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such 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, on the one hand, or the Agent, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
   

  

  	The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 6(c), any reasonable and documented legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim.  The provisions set forth in Section 6(c) with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for contribution is to be made under this Section 6(e); provided, however, that no additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice has been given under Section 6(c) for purposes of indemnification.

  	The Company and the Agent agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 6(e) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 6(e).

  	Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6(e), the Agent shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the agent fees received by the Agent in connection with the offering contemplated hereby.  No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.  For purposes of this Section 6(e), each officer and employee of the Agent and each person, if any, who controls the Agent within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Agent, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.

  32

  

  
   Section 7.
   
      TERMINATION & SURVIVAL
   

  

  
   (a)
   
    Term.  Subject to the provisions of this ‎Section 7, the term of this Agreement shall continue from the date of this Agreement until the end of the Agency Period, unless earlier terminated by the parties to this Agreement pursuant to this ‎Section 7.
   

  

  
   (b)
   
    Termination; Survival Following Termination.  
   

  

  (i) 	Either party may terminate this Agreement prior to the end of the Agency Period, by giving written notice as required by this Agreement, upon ten (10) Trading Days’ notice to the other party; provided that, (A) if the Company terminates this Agreement after the Agent confirms to the Company any sale of Shares, the Company shall remain obligated to comply with ‎Section 3(b)(v) with respect to such Shares and (B) ‎Section 2, ‎Section 6, ‎Section 7 and ‎Section 8 shall survive termination of this Agreement.  If termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Shares, such sale shall nevertheless settle in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

  (ii) In addition to the survival provision of ‎Section 7(b)(i), the respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, of its officers and of the Agent set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Agent or the Company or any of its or their partners, officers or directors or any controlling person, as the case may be, and, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, will survive delivery of and payment for the Shares sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.

  
   Section 8.
   
      MISCELLANEOUS
   

  

  
   (a)
   
    Press Releases and Disclosure.  The Company may issue a press release describing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby as soon as practicable following the date of this Agreement, and may file with the Commission a Current Report on Form 8‐K or an Annual Report on Form 10-K, with this Agreement attached as an exhibit thereto, describing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Company shall consult with the Agent prior to making such disclosures, and the parties hereto shall use all commercially reasonable efforts, acting in good faith, to agree upon a text for such disclosures that is reasonably satisfactory to all parties hereto. No party hereto shall issue thereafter any press release or like public statement (including, without limitation,  any disclosure required in reports filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act) related to this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated hereby without the prior written approval of the other party hereto (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), except as may be necessary or appropriate in the reasonable opinion of the party seeking to make disclosure to comply with the requirements of applicable law or stock exchange rules. If any such press release or like public statement is so required, the party making such disclosure shall consult with the other party prior to making such disclosure, and the parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts, acting in good faith, to agree upon a text for such disclosure that is reasonably satisfactory to all parties hereto; provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall be construed to restrict the Company from making 
   

  

  33

  

  
   
    disclosures that, in the opinion of the Company’s legal counsel, are required pursuant to applicable law or stock exchange rules.
   

  

  
   (b)
   
    No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship.  The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the determination of any fees, are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Company and the Agent, (ii) when acting as a principal under this Agreement, the Agent is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, or its stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (iii) the Agent has not assumed nor will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the Agent has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and the Agent does not have any obligation to the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (iv) the Agent and its respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (v) the Agent has not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate. 
   

  

  
   (c)
   
    Research Analyst Independence.  The Company acknowledges that the Agent’s research analysts and research departments are required to and should be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and as such the Agent’s research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company or the offering that differ from the views of their respective investment banking divisions.  The Company understands that the Agent is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the companies that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
   

  

  
   (d)
   
    Notices.  All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed, hand delivered or telecopied and confirmed to the parties hereto as follows:
   

  

  If to the Agent:

  
Jefferies LLC
520 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022  
Attention:  General Counsel

   

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

  
Latham & Watkins LLP
140 Scott Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Attention: Brian Cuneo and Drew Capurro

   

  34

  

  If to the Company:
 

  	Spruce Biosciences, Inc.
2001 Junipero Serra Boulevard, 

  Suite 640

  Daly City, CA 94014
Attention: Chief Executive Officer

   

   

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

  
Cooley LLP
4401 Eastgate Mall
San Diego, CA 92121
Attention: Alexa Ekman

   

   

  Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others in accordance with this ‎Section 8(d).

  
   (e)
   
    Successors.  This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, and to the benefit of the employees, officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in ‎Section 6, and in each case their respective successors, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.  The term “successors” shall not include any purchaser of the Shares as such from the Agent merely by reason of such purchase.
   

  

  
   (f)
   
    Partial Unenforceability.  The invalidity or unenforceability of any Article, Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Article, Section, paragraph or provision hereof.  If any Article, Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.
   

  

  
   (g)
   
    Governing Law Provisions.  This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such state.  Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (“Related Proceedings”) may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court (a “Related Judgment”), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding.  Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court.  The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and 
   

  

  35

  

  
   
    agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.  
   

  

  
   (h)
   
    General Provisions.  This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof.  This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument, and may be delivered by facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method.  This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit.  The Article and Section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.
   

  

  [Signature Page Immediately Follows]

  36

  

  If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms

   

  Very truly yours,

   

  SPRUCE BIOSCIENCES, INC.

   

  By: 		/s/ Samir Gharib			

  	Name:  Samir Gharib

  	Title:    President and 

  		        Chief Financial Officer	

   

   

  	 

  	The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by the Agent in New York, New York as of the date first above written.

   

   

  JEFFERIES LLC 

   

  By:       /s/ Michael Brinkman		

  	Name:    Michael Brinkman

  	Title: 	Managing Director    

   

   

  

  EXHIBIT A

  ISSUANCE NOTICE

  [Date]

  Jefferies LLC

  520 Madison Avenue

  New York, New York 10022

   

  Attn: [__________]

   

  Reference is made to the Open Market Sale Agreement between Spruce Bioscience, Inc. (the “Company”) and Jefferies LLC (the “Agent”) dated as of February 25,  2022.  The Company confirms that all conditions to the delivery of this Issuance Notice are satisfied as of the date hereof.

  Date of Delivery of Issuance Notice (determined pursuant to ‎Section 3(b)(i)): _______________________

  Issuance Amount (equal to the total Sales Price for such Shares):

  	$					

  Number of days in selling period:					

  First date of selling period:					

  Last date of selling period:					

  Settlement Date(s) if other than standard T+2 settlement:

  						 

  Floor Price Limitation (in no event less than $1.00 without the prior written consent of the Agent, which consent may be withheld in the Agent’s sole discretion): $ ____ per share

  Comments: 													

  ______________________

   

  By: 							

  	Name:

  	Title:  

   

   

   

  

  Schedule A

   

  Notice Parties

   

  The Company

  Javier Szwarcberg, M.D., MPH, Chief Executive Officer ([***])

  Samir Gharib, President and Chief Financial Officer ([***])

   

  The Agent

  Michael Brinkman ([***])EX-10.23

   

  Exhibit 10.23

  SEPARATION AND Release Agreement

   

  I, Rosh Dias, understand that my employment with Spruce Biosciences, Inc. (the “Company”) will terminate effective as of March 11, 2022 (the “Separation Date”).  As of the Separation Date, I hereby irrevocably resign as Chief Medical Officer of the Company and from any other officer positions I may hold with the Company and any of its subsidiaries.  

  The Company has agreed that in exchange for my promises and obligations set forth in this Separation and Release Agreement (the “Agreement”), my employment termination will be considered a “Regular Termination” as set forth in and under the terms and conditions of the Spruce Biosciences, Inc. Severance and Change in Control Plan, dated September 9, 2020, and the signed Participation Agreement between the Company and me in connection therewith (collectively, the “Severance Plan”), copies of which are attached hereto as Annex I and the terms of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein.  Accordingly, if I timely sign and return to the Company this fully executed Agreement, allow it to become effective, and fully comply with my obligations hereunder and under the Severance Plan, then subject to the terms and conditions of the Severance Plan, the Company will provide me with the applicable severance benefits set forth in the Severance Plan (i.e., 9 months of salary continuation at my base salary rate of $442,900 per year (the “Cash Severance”) and COBRA premiums, each as described and under the terms of the Severance Plan, provided that notwithstanding the provisions of the Severance Plan, the Cash Severance shall be payable in a single lump sum payment on April 29, 2022).  In addition, the Relocation Assistance and Repayment Assistance benefits set forth in your offer letter dated July 28, 2020 will be considered earned and not subject to repayment as of the Separation Date.  Options or other equity awards granted to me by the Company will continue to be governed by the applicable equity incentive plans and applicable grant documents.

  In consideration for the benefits I am receiving under the Severance Plan and this Agreement that I am not otherwise entitled to receive, I hereby generally and completely release the Company and its parents, subsidiaries, successors, predecessors, and affiliates, and each of their respective current and former directors, officers, employees, stockholders, shareholders, agents, attorneys, insurers, and assigns, from any and all claims, liabilities and obligations, both known and unknown, that arise out of or are in any way related to events, acts, conduct, or omissions occurring at any time prior to and including the date I sign this Agreement.  This general release includes, but is not limited to: (a) all claims arising out of or in any way related to my employment or the termination of that employment; (b) all claims related to my compensation or benefits, including salary, bonuses, commissions, vacation pay, expense reimbursements, severance pay, fringe benefits, stock, stock options, or any other ownership interests; (c) all claims for breach of contract, wrongful termination, and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; (d) all tort claims, including claims for fraud, defamation, emotional distress, and discharge in violation of public policy; and (e) all federal, state, provincial and local statutory claims, including claims for discrimination, harassment, retaliation, attorneys’ fees, or other claims arising under the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 (as amended), the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (as amended), the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (as amended), and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (as amended). Notwithstanding the foregoing, I understand that the following claims are not included in my release: (i) any rights or claims for indemnification I may have pursuant to any written indemnification agreement; under the charter and bylaws of the Company; or under applicable law; (ii) any rights which cannot be waived as a matter of law; (iii) any rights I may have 

   

   

  

  to file or pursue a claim for workers’ compensation or unemployment insurance; or (iv) any claims for breach of this Agreement.  

  I acknowledge that I am knowingly and voluntarily waiving and releasing any rights I may have under the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (as amended) (“ADEA”), and that the consideration for the waiver and release in the preceding paragraph hereof is in addition to anything of value to which I was already entitled.  I further acknowledge that I have been advised by this writing, as required by the ADEA, that: (a) my waiver and release do not apply to any rights or claims that may arise after the date I sign this Agreement; (b) I should consult with an attorney prior to signing this Agreement (although I may choose voluntarily not do so); (c) I have 21 days to consider this Agreement (although I may choose voluntarily to sign it earlier); (d) I have seven days following the date I sign this Agreement to revoke it by providing written notice to the Board of Directors; and (e) this Agreement will not be effective until the date upon which the revocation period has expired, which will be the eighth day after I sign this Agreement.

  I acknowledge that I have been advised, as required by California Government Code Section 12964.5(b)(4), that I have a right to consult an attorney regarding this Agreement and that I was given a reasonable time period of not less than five (5) business days in which to do so.  I further acknowledge and agree that, in the event I sign this Agreement prior to the end of the reasonable time period, my decision to accept such shortening of time is knowing and voluntary and is not induced by the Company through fraud, misrepresentation, or a threat to withdraw or alter the offer prior to the expiration of the reasonable time period, or by providing different terms to employees who sign such an agreement prior to the expiration of the time period.

  I acknowledge that I have read and understand Section 1542 of the California Civil Code which reads as follows: “A general release does not extend to claims which the creditor or releasing party does not know or suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release and that, if known by him or her, would have materially affected his or her settlement with the debtor or released party.”  I hereby expressly waive and relinquish all rights and benefits under that section and any law of any jurisdiction of similar effect with respect to my release of any claims hereunder.

  I understand that nothing in this Agreement limits my ability to file a charge or complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor, the National Labor Relations Board, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other federal, state or local governmental agency or commission (“Government Agencies”).  I further understand this Agreement does not limit my ability to communicate with any Government Agencies or otherwise participate in any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by any Government Agency, including providing documents or other information, without notice to the Company.  While this Agreement does not limit my right to receive an award for information provided to the Securities and Exchange Commission, I understand and agree that, to maximum extent permitted by law, I am otherwise waiving any and all rights I may have to individual relief based on any claims that I have released and any rights I have waived by signing this release.  I further understand that nothing in this Agreement prevents me from discussing or disclosing information about unlawful acts in the workplace, such as harassment or discrimination or any other conduct that I have reason to believe is unlawful.  My rights and protected activities in this paragraph will be referred herein to as “Protected Rights.”

   

   

  

  I expressly acknowledge and agree that the benefits provided by and as set forth in this Agreement satisfy in full and exceed any and all obligations of the Company to provide me with any benefits, compensation or severance in connection with my employment termination, including without limitation under the Severance Plan, my employment agreement with the Company dated July 28, 2020, and any other agreement, plan or policy applicable to me.  I further acknowledge that, other than the severance benefits that will be provided to me as described in this Agreement upon the effectiveness of this release, among other required conditions, I have not earned and will not receive from the Company any additional compensation, severance, or benefits, with the exception of any vested right I may have under the express terms of a written ERISA-qualified benefit plan (e.g., 401(k) account).  By way of example, I acknowledge that I have not earned and am not owed any bonus, vacation, incentive compensation, severance, commissions or equity.  I hereby further represent that I have been paid all compensation owed and for all hours worked; I have received all the leave and leave benefits and protections for which I am eligible pursuant to the Family and Medical Leave Act, the California Family Rights Act, or otherwise; and I have not suffered any on-the-job injury for which I have not already filed a workers’ compensation claim. 

  I acknowledge my continuing obligations under my CIIA as well as my obligations to return all Company Property, as those terms are defined in, and as set forth in, the Severance Plan, as well as my other obligations and duties under the Severance Plan.  

  I hereby agree not to disparage the Company or any of its officers, directors, employees, shareholders, and agents, in any manner likely to be harmful to its or their business, business reputations or personal reputations, and the Company hereby agrees to direct its executive officers and directors not to disparage me in any manner likely to be harmful to my business reputation or personal reputation; provided that any party may respond accurately and fully to any question, inquiry or request for information when required by the legal process or in connection with a government investigation.  In addition, nothing in this Agreement is intended to prohibit or restrain me in any manner from making disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of federal law or regulation or under other applicable law or regulation, nor from engaging in any Protected Rights.

  This Agreement, together with the Severance Plan, constitutes the complete, final and exclusive embodiment of the entire agreement between the Company and me with regard to the subject matter hereof.  I am not relying on any promise or representation by the Company that is not expressly stated herein, and this Agreement supersedes any such promises or representations.  This Agreement may only be modified by a writing signed by both me and a duly authorized officer of the Company.  If any provision of this Agreement or the Severance Plan is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, this determination shall not affect any other provision of this Agreement or the Severance Plan and the provision in question shall be modified so as to be rendered enforceable in a manner consistent with the intent of the parties insofar as possible under applicable law.

  I acknowledge that to become effective, I must sign and return this Agreement to the Company so that it is received not later than 21 days following the date it is provided to me.

  

[signature page to follow]

   

   

   

  

  		
	 
	rosh dias
 

/s/Rosh Dias                                              
(Signature)
 
Date: March 11, 2022         	                       	                       	                       		                                    	                      

   

  Spruce Biosciences, Inc.

  
 

  /s/Javier Szwarcberg                        		

  By: Javier Szwarcberg, Chief Executive Officer

   

  Date: March 11, 2022                       				

   

   

   

   

  

  Annex I

   

  SEVERANCE AND CHANGE OF CONTROL PLAN

  AND PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT

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