Document:

Exhibit 10.1

 

FRANCESCA’S SERVICES CORPORATION

 

September 16, 2016

 

Re: Employment Letter Agreement

 

Dear Steve:

 

Subject to the terms and
conditions of this letter agreement (this “Agreement”), Francesca’s Services Corporation, a Delaware corporation
(“FSC”), Francesca’s Holdings Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), and Francesca’s
Collections, Inc., a Texas corporation (“FCI” and, collectively with FSC and Parent, the “Company”)
desires to employ you on the terms and conditions of this Agreement. This Agreement is subject to the Company completing a satisfactory
background check and shall be effective as of the Effective Date.

 

1.  Employment; Compensation and Benefits.

 

(a)  Position and
Duties. You shall serve as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. During your Period of Employment (as
defined below) with the Company, you agree to (i) devote substantially all of your business time, energy and skill to the
performance of your duties for the Company, (ii) perform such duties in a faithful, effective and efficient manner and (iii) hold
no other employment.

 

(b)  Period
of Employment. Your start date will be October 10, 2016 (the “Effective Date”). Your “Period of
Employment” begins on the Effective Date and is for an indefinite term, until terminated as provided in Section 2(a).

 

(c)  Base Salary.
Your base salary (the “Base Salary”) shall be at an annualized rate of Seven Hundred Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars
($775,000.00) and shall be paid in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll practices in effect from time to time.

 

(d)  Annual Bonus.
You may be eligible for an annual incentive bonus based on the Company’s annual bonus plan that may exist from time to time.
Your target annual incentive bonus amount for a particular fiscal year of the Company during the Period of Employment shall equal
One Hundred Percent (100%) of your Base Salary for that fiscal year. With respect to the fiscal year in which the Effective Date
occurs, you will be eligible for a bonus for such fiscal year, pro-rated to reflect the number of calendar days of your employment
with the Company from the Effective Date through the end of the fiscal year and the Company’s performance for such period
as determined by the Compensation Committee of the Parent’s Board of Directors (the “Compensation Committee”)
relative to performance goals previously established by the Compensation Committee for fiscal 2016 bonuses for the Company’s
other senior executives.

 

(e)  Signing Bonus.
In connection with your execution of this Agreement, you will be entitled to payment of a signing bonus of Three Hundred Thousand
Dollars ($300,000) (the “Signing Bonus”). The Signing Bonus will be paid to you within ten (10) business days
after the Effective Date. If, at any time prior to the first anniversary of the Effective Date, either you voluntarily terminate
your employment with the Company or the Company terminates your employment for Cause (as defined below), you agree that you will
promptly (and in all cases within thirty (30) days following your termination of employment) repay to the Company the gross (pre-tax)
amount of the Signing Bonus.

 

     

     

    

 

(f)  Make-Whole Bonus.
You will also be entitled to receive a payment from the Company (the “Make-Whole Bonus”) to compensate you for
the bonus opportunity granted to you by your prior employer (the “Prior Employer”) with respect to the Prior
Employer’s 2016 fiscal year (the “Prior Employer Bonus”) that you actually forfeited as a result of your
accepting and commencing employment with the Company. The amount of such payment (if any) will be determined as set forth in Exhibit
A attached herewith and incorporated herein for all purposes; subject to the final approval of the Compensation Committee The Compensation Committee shall
confirm the amount of the Make-Whole Bonus as soon as practicable after the end of the Prior Employer’s 2016 fiscal year
and the Make-Whole Bonus shall be paid to you within ten (10) business days after the Compensation Committee’s determination;
provided, however, that your right to receive any Make-Whole Bonus is subject to your continued employment with the Company through
the date the Make-Whole Bonus is paid.

 

(g)  Retirement, Welfare
and Fringe Benefits. During the Period of Employment you shall be entitled to participate in all employee savings and welfare
benefit plans and programs, and fringe benefit plans and programs, made available by the Company to the Company’s employees
generally, in accordance with the eligibility and participation provisions of such plans and as such plans or programs may be in
effect from time to time. You will be eligible for twenty (20) days of paid-time-off each year in accordance with the Company’s
policies.

 

(h)  RSA Grants.
In connection with your actual commencement of employment with the Company as of the Effective Date, you will be granted the following
awards of performance shares of Parent’s common stock in accordance with the Francesca’s Holdings Corporation 2015
Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”):

 

		(i)	An award on the same terms and conditions as the annual awards of performance shares granted to
the Company’s other executive officers in March 2016 for the Company’s 2016 fiscal year (including the performance
metrics, goals and weightings applicable to such awards), with the target number of shares subject to such award to be determined
by dividing (A) the product obtained by multiplying (x) One Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,500,000), by (y) a fraction,
the numerator of which is the number of calendar days between the Effective Date and the last day of the Company’s 2016 fiscal
year and the denominator of which is three hundred sixty-five (365), by (B) the closing price of a share of Parent’s common
stock on The Nasdaq Stock Market on the last trading day prior to the Effective Date.

 

		(ii)	An award of a number of performance shares determined by dividing (A) One Million Five Hundred
Thousand Dollars ($1,500,000), by (B) the closing price of a share of Parent’s common stock on The Nasdaq Stock Market on
the last trading day prior to the Effective Date, such award to vest (x) with respect to one-third (1/3rd) of the shares
on the last day of the Company’s 2017 fiscal year if both your employment with the Company continues through the first anniversary
of the Effective Date and the Company’s earnings per share for the 2017 fiscal year is greater than $0.75, and (y) with respect
to the remaining two-thirds (2/3rd) of the shares on the last day of the Company’s 2019 fiscal year if both your
employment with the Company continues through the third anniversary of the Effective Date and the Company’s earnings per
share for the 2019 fiscal year is greater than $0.75.

 

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Each of these grants will
be evidenced by a Restricted Stock Award Agreement to be effective as of the Effective Date, be subject to the approval of the
Compensation Committee, and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plan.

 

(i)  Future Long-Term
Incentive Grants. During the Period of Employment, you shall be eligible to be granted an award under the Company’s long-term
incentive program for the Company’s fiscal year that begins in February 2017 and each fiscal year thereafter. The grant level
and terms for each such grant shall be established by the Compensation Committee in its sole discretion. It is expected that the
grant date fair value (as determined by the Company based on its usual equity award valuation methodology and assumptions) of the
target number of shares subject to the award or awards that you are granted in each year will have a value, in the aggregate, of
not less than One Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,500,000).

 

2.  Termination and Severance.

 

(a)  Termination.
Your employment by the Company may be terminated by the Company: (i) immediately upon notice, with Cause (as defined below),
or (ii) with no less than thirty (30) days’ advance written notice to you, without Cause, or (iii) immediately
in the event of your Disability (as defined below) or your death. In the event that you are provided with notice of termination
without Cause pursuant to clause (ii) above, the Company will have the option to place you on administrative leave during
the notice period. You may terminate your employment by the Company: (x) with Good Reason (as defined below) with no less than
seven (7) days’ advance written notice to the Company or (y) for any reason with no less than thirty (30) days’
advance written notice to the Company. Any termination of your employment (by you or by the Company) must be communicated by written
notice from the terminating party to the other party. Such notice of termination must be hand delivered (if to the Company, to
the Company’s General Counsel) and must indicate the specific provision(s) of this Agreement relied upon in effecting the
termination. The date your employment by the Company terminates is referred to herein as your “Severance Date.”

 

(b)  Benefits upon
Termination. Regardless of the reason for the termination of your employment with the Company, in connection with such termination
the Company will pay you (on or within 30 days following your Severance Date) your accrued and unused vacation (if any) and you
will be entitled to any benefits that are due to you under the Company’s 401(k) plan in accordance with the terms of that
plan. If you hold any stock options or other equity or equity-based awards granted by the Company, the terms and conditions applicable
to those awards will control as to the consequences of a termination of your employment on those awards. In addition to the foregoing,
if your employment with the Company terminates as a result of a termination by the Company of your employment without Cause (as
defined below) or if you terminate your employment with Good Reason, you will (subject to the other conditions set forth in Section 2(c)
below) be entitled to receive, subject to tax withholding and other authorized deductions, an aggregate amount equal to one (1)
times your Base Salary as in effect on the Severance Date (the “Severance Benefit”). Subject to Section 5,
the Company will pay this benefit to you in substantially equal installments (each in the applicable fraction of the aggregate
benefit) in accordance with the Company’s standard payroll practices over a period of twelve (12) months, with the first
installment payable in the month following the month in which your Separation from Service (as such term is defined below) occurs.

 

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(c)  Conditions for Receipt of Severance
Benefit. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, if the Severance Benefit is otherwise due to you and, at any time,
you breach any obligation under Section 6 of this Agreement, from and after the date of such breach and not in any way in
limitation of any right or remedy otherwise available to the Company, you will no longer be entitled to, and the Company will no
longer be obligated to pay, any remaining unpaid portion of the Severance Benefit. In addition, in order to receive any Severance
Benefit, you must, upon or promptly following (and in all events, within twenty-one (21) days of, unless a longer period of
time is required by applicable law) your Severance Date, provide the Company with a separation agreement which shall contain a
valid, executed general release agreement in a form acceptable to the Company, and such release shall have not been revoked. In
the event a period longer than twenty-one (21) days is required by applicable law, then the first installment of the Severance
Benefit shall remain payable in the month following the month in which your Separation from Service (as such term is defined below)
occurs, provided that if you fail to provide the Company with the executed general release agreement described above (or have otherwise
revoked the release), any further installments of the Severance Benefit shall cease at such time and shall no longer be payable
to you. You agree and acknowledge that such separation agreement may contain additional restrictive covenants, including, without
limitation, non-solicitation covenants and non-disparagement covenants.

 

(d)  Exclusive Remedy.
You agree that should your employment by the Company terminate for any reason, the payments and benefits contemplated by this Agreement
with respect to the circumstances of such termination shall constitute the exclusive and sole remedy for any such termination of
your employment and you agree not to assert or pursue any other remedies, at law or in equity, with respect to any termination
of employment. You agree that, in the event of a termination of your employment, you are not and will not be entitled to severance
benefits under any other agreement, plan, program, or policy of the Company.

 

3.  Certain Defined
Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall be defined as follows:

 

(a)  “Cause”
shall mean that one or more of the following has occurred: (i) you have been convicted of or pleaded no contest to a felony
(under the laws of the United States or any relevant state, or a similar crime or offense under the applicable laws of any relevant
foreign jurisdiction); (ii) you have engaged in acts of fraud, dishonesty or other acts of material misconduct in the course
of your duties; (iii) your abuse of narcotics or alcohol that has or may reasonably harm the Company; (iv) any violation
by you of the Company’s written policies; (v) your failure to perform or uphold your duties and/or you fail to comply
with reasonable directives of the Parent’s Board of Directors, as applicable; or (vi) any breach by you of any provision
of Section 6, or any material breach by you of this Agreement or any other contract you are a party to with the Company.

 

(b)  “Disability”
shall mean a physical or mental impairment which renders you unable to perform the essential functions of your employment with
the Company, even with reasonable accommodation that does not impose an undue hardship on the Company, for more than 180 days in
any 12-month period, unless a longer period is required by federal or state law, in which case that longer period would apply.

 

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(c)  “Separation
from Service” occurs when you die, retire, or otherwise have a termination of employment with the Company that constitutes
a “separation from service” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h)(1), without regard to
the optional alternative definitions available thereunder.

 

(d)  “Good Reason”
shall mean the following events without your express written consent: (i) the assignment to you by the Board of any duties or responsibilities
which are materially inconsistent with your position as President and Chief Executive Officer or a material reduction in duties
and responsibilities exercised by you, or a loss of the title of President and/or Chief Executive Officer, except in connection
with the termination of employment for Cause or Disability or death, or (ii) any material breach by the Company of any provision
of this Agreement which is not cured to your reasonable satisfaction within thirty (30) days after written notice has been provided
to the Company.

 

4.  Limitation on
Benefits. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, to the extent that any payment, benefit
or distribution of any type to you or for your benefit by the Company or any of its affiliates, whether paid or payable, provided
or to be provided, or distributed or distributable pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or otherwise (collectively, the “Total
Payments”) would be subject to the excise tax imposed under Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended (the “Code”), then the Total Payments shall be reduced (but not below zero) so that the maximum amount
of the Total Payments (after reduction) shall be one dollar ($1.00) less than the amount which would cause the Total Payments to
be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code. Unless you shall have given prior written notice to the
Company to effectuate a reduction in the Total Payments if such a reduction is required, any such notice consistent with the requirements
of Section 409A of the Code to avoid the imputation of any tax, penalty or interest thereunder, the Company shall reduce or
eliminate the Total Payments by first reducing or eliminating any cash severance benefits (with the payments to be made furthest
in the future being reduced first), then by reducing or eliminating any accelerated vesting of stock options or similar awards,
then by reducing or eliminating any accelerated vesting of restricted stock or similar awards, then by reducing or eliminating
any other remaining Total Payments. The preceding provisions of this Section 4 shall take precedence over the provisions of
any other plan, arrangement or agreement governing your rights and entitlements to any benefits or compensation.

 

5.  Section 409A.
It is intended that any amounts payable under this Agreement and the Company’s and your exercise of authority or discretion
hereunder shall comply with and avoid the imputation of any tax, penalty or interest under Section 409A of the Code. This
Agreement shall be construed and interpreted consistent with that intent. If you are a “specified employee” within
the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(i) as of the date of your Separation from Service and you are entitled
to the Severance Benefit, you shall not be entitled to any payment or benefit pursuant to Section 2(b) until the earlier of
(i) the date which is six (6) months after your Separation from Service for any reason other than your death, or (ii) the
date of your death. The provisions of the preceding sentence shall only apply if, and to the extent, required to avoid the imputation
of any tax, penalty or interest pursuant to Section 409A of the Code. Any amounts otherwise payable to you upon or in the
six (6) month period following your Separation from Service that are not so paid by reason of such 6-month delay provision
shall be paid (without interest) as soon as practicable (and in all events within thirty (30) days) after the date that is
six (6) months after your Separation from Service (or, if earlier, as soon as practicable, and in all events within thirty (30)
days, after the date of your death).

 

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6.  Protective Covenants.

 

(a)  Confidential Information.

 

(i)  You shall
not disclose or use at any time, either during the Period of Employment or thereafter, any Trade Secrets and Confidential Information
(as defined below) of which you become aware, whether or not such information is developed by you, except to the extent that such
disclosure or use is directly related to and required by your performance in good faith of duties for the Company. You will take
all appropriate steps to safeguard Trade Secrets and Confidential Information in your possession and to protect it against disclosure,
misuse, espionage, loss and theft. You shall deliver to the Company at the termination of your employment, or at any time the Company
may request, all memoranda, notes, plans, records, reports, computer tapes and software and other documents and data (and copies
thereof) relating to the Trade Secrets and Confidential Information or the Work Product (as hereinafter defined) of the business
of the Company or any of its affiliates which you may then possess or have under your control. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you
may truthfully respond to a lawful and valid subpoena or other legal process, but shall give the Company the earliest possible
notice thereof.

 

(ii)  For
purposes of this Agreement, “Trade Secrets and Confidential Information” means information that is not generally
known to the public and that is used, developed or obtained by the Company in connection with its business, including, but not
limited to, information, observations and data obtained by you while employed by the Company or any predecessors thereof concerning
(i) the business or affairs of the Company (or such predecessors), (ii) products or services, (iii) fees, costs
and pricing structures, (iv) designs, (v) analyses, (vi) drawings, photographs and reports, (vii) computer
software, including operating systems, applications and program listings, (viii) flow charts, manuals and documentation, (ix) data
bases, (x) accounting and business methods, (xi) inventions, devices, new developments, methods and processes, whether
patentable or unpatentable and whether or not reduced to practice, (xii) customers and clients and customer or client lists,
(xiii) other copyrightable works, (xiv) all production methods, processes, technology and trade secrets, and (xv) all
similar and related information in whatever form. Trade Secrets and Confidential Information will not include any information that
has been published (other than a disclosure by you in breach of this Agreement) in a form generally available to the public prior
to the date you propose to disclose or use such information. Trade Secrets and Confidential Information will not be deemed to have
been published merely because individual portions of the information have been separately published, but only if all material features
comprising such information have been published in combination.

 

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(iii)  For
purposes of this Agreement, “Work Product” means all inventions, innovations, improvements, technical information,
systems, software developments, methods, designs, analyses, drawings, reports, service marks, trademarks, trade names, logos and
all similar or related information (whether patentable or unpatentable, copyrightable, registerable as a trademark, reduced to
writing, or otherwise) which relates to the Company’s or any of its affiliates’ actual or anticipated business, research
and development or existing or future products or services and which are conceived, developed or made by you (whether or not during
usual business hours, whether or not by the use of the facilities of the Company or any of its affiliates, and whether or not alone
or in conjunction with any other person) while employed by the Company (including those conceived, developed or made prior to the
Effective Date) together with all patent applications, letters patent, trademark, trade name and service mark applications or registrations,
copyrights and reissues thereof that may be granted for or upon any of the foregoing. All Work Product that you may have discovered,
invented or originated during your employment by the Company or any of its affiliates prior to the date hereof, that you may discover,
invent or originate during your employment or at any time following the termination of your employment with the Company, shall
be the exclusive property of the Company and its affiliates, as applicable, and you hereby assign all of your right, title and
interest in and to such Work Product to the Company or its applicable affiliate, including all intellectual property rights therein.
You shall promptly disclose all Work Product to the Company, shall execute at the request of the Company any assignments or other
documents the Company may deem necessary to protect or perfect its (or any of its affiliates’, as applicable) rights therein,
and shall assist the Company, at the Company’s expense, in obtaining, defending and enforcing the Company’s (or any
of its affiliates’, as applicable) rights therein. You hereby appoint the Company as your attorney-in-fact to execute on
your behalf any assignments or other documents deemed necessary by the Company to protect or perfect the Company, the Company’s
(and any of its affiliates’, as applicable) rights to any Work Product.

 

(b)  Restriction on
Competition. During your employment with the Company and twelve (12) months following the termination of your
employment with the Company (regardless of the reason for such termination and regardless of whether or not you are entitled to
the Severance Benefit) (the “Restricted Period”), you shall not directly or indirectly, individually or on behalf
of any other person or entity, manage, participate in, work for, consult with, render services for, or take an interest in (as
an owner, stockholder, partner or lender) any Competitor. For purposes of this Agreement, “Competitor” means
a Person anywhere in North America (the “Restricted Area”) that at any time during the period of time during
which you are employed by the Company, or any time during the Restricted Period engages in the business of operating retail stores
and/or websites for the sale of women’s apparel, jewelry, accessories, gifts, greeting cards, picture frames and related
items or any other business that the Company is engaged in, or reasonably anticipates becoming engaged in. As used herein, the
term ‘retail stores’ shall not include: (i) stores that are operated in thirty-thousand or greater square feet; (ii)
department stores such as Macy’s, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Nordstrom, Target, Walmart etc., and ; (iii) the following named
stores; Burlington Coat Factory, Marshall’s, Dollar General, Family Dollar, DSW, FootLocker, and Dick’s Sporting Goods.
The parties hereto agree that the Company intends to engage in business throughout the Restricted Area, even if it does not currently
do so, and therefore its scope is reasonable. Nothing herein shall prohibit you from being a passive owner of not more than 2%
of the outstanding stock of any class of a corporation which is publicly traded, so long as you have no active participation in
the business of such corporation. The term “Person” as used in this Agreement shall be construed broadly and
shall include, without limitation, an individual, a partnership, a limited liability company, a corporation, an association, a
joint stock company, a trust, a joint venture, an unincorporated organization and a governmental entity or any department, agency
or political subdivision thereof.

 

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(c)  Non-Solicitation
of Employees and Consultants. During your employment with the Company and during the Restricted Period, you will not, and should
be enjoined (if necessary) from being able to directly or indirectly through any other Person: (i) induce or attempt to induce
any employee or independent contractor of the Company or any affiliate of the Company to leave the employ or service, as applicable,
of the Company or such affiliate, or in any way interfere with the relationship between the Company or any such affiliate, on the
one hand, and any employee or independent contractor thereof, on the other hand, or (ii) hire any person who was an employee
of the Company or any affiliate of the Company until twelve (12) months after such individual’s employment relationship
with the Company or such affiliate has been terminated.

 

(d)  Non-Solicitation
of Customers; Non-Disparagement. During your employment with the Company and during the Restricted Period, you will not, and
should be enjoined (if necessary) from being able to directly or indirectly through any other Person: (i) influence or attempt
to influence customers, vendors, suppliers, licensors, lessors, joint venturers, associates, consultants, agents, or partners of
the Company or any affiliate of the Company to divert their business away from the Company or such affiliate; and (ii) interfere
with, disrupt or attempt to disrupt the business relationships, contractual or otherwise, between the Company or any affiliate
of the Company, on the one hand, and any of its or their customers, suppliers, vendors, lessors, licensors, joint venturers, associates,
officers, employees, consultants, managers, partners, members or investors, on the other hand.

 

You agree that you will not
disparage, ridicule or criticize the Company or its affiliates and its and their present and former employees, directors and officers,
or make any remarks or statements that could reasonably be construed as disparaging, ridiculing or criticizing any of them; provided,
however, the foregoing shall not prohibit you from giving truthful testimony in any legal proceeding pending before any
agency or court of the United States or state government or in any arbitration proceeding relating to this Agreement.

 

(e)  Understanding
of Covenants. You acknowledge and agree that the Company would not have entered into this Agreement, providing for severance
protections to you on the terms and conditions set forth herein, but for your agreements herein. You agree that the foregoing covenants
set forth in this Section 6 (the “Restrictive Covenants”) are reasonable, including in temporal and geographical
scope, and in all other respects, and necessary to protect the Company’s and its affiliates’ Trade Secrets and Confidential
Information, good will, stable workforce, and customer relations. The parties hereto intend that Restrictive Covenants shall be
deemed to be a series of separate covenants, one for each county or province of each and every state or jurisdiction within the
Restricted Area and one for each month of the Restricted Period. You understand that the Restrictive Covenants may limit your ability
to earn a livelihood in a business similar to the business of the Company and any of its affiliates, but you nevertheless believe
that you have received and will receive sufficient consideration and other benefits as an employee of the Company and as otherwise
provided hereunder or as described in the recitals hereto to clearly justify such restrictions which, in any event (given your
education, skills and ability), you do not believe would prevent you from otherwise earning a living. You agree that the Restrictive
Covenants do not confer a benefit upon the Company disproportionate to your detriment.

 

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(f)  Enforcement.
You agree that a breach by you of any of the covenants in this Section 6 would cause immediate and irreparable harm to the
Company that would be difficult or impossible to measure, and that damages to the Company for any such injury would therefore be
an inadequate remedy for any such breach. Therefore, you agree that in the event of any breach or threatened breach of any provision
of this Section 6, the Company shall be entitled, in addition to and without limitation upon all other remedies the Company
may have under this Agreement, at law or otherwise, to obtain specific performance, injunctive relief and/or other appropriate
relief (without posting any bond or deposit) in order to enforce or prevent any violations of the provisions of this Section 6,
or require you to account for and pay over to the Company all compensation, profits, moneys, accruals, increments or other benefits
derived from or received as a result of any transactions constituting a breach of this Section 6, if and when final judgment
of a court of competent jurisdiction is so entered against you.

 

7.  Withholding Taxes.
Notwithstanding anything else herein to the contrary, the Company may withhold (or cause there to be withheld, as the case may
be) from any amounts otherwise due or payable under or pursuant to this Agreement such federal, state and local income, employment,
or other taxes as may be required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation.

 

8.  Successors and
Assigns. This Agreement is personal to you and without the prior written consent of the Company shall not be assignable
by you otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable
by your legal representatives. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company and its successors
and assigns.

 

9.  Governing Law.
THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO ANY
CHOICE OF LAW OR CONFLICTING PROVISION OR RULE (WHETHER OF THE STATE OF TEXAS OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION) THAT WOULD CAUSE
THE LAWS OF ANY JURISDICTION OTHER THAN THE STATE OF TEXAS TO BE APPLIED.

 

10.  Severability.
If any provision of this Agreement is found by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason,
such finding shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder of this Agreement. If any aspect of any restriction herein is
too broad or restrictive to permit enforcement to its fullest extent, you and the Company agree that any court of competent jurisdiction
shall modify such restriction to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable and then enforce the provision as modified.

 

11.  Entire Agreement,
Amendment and Waiver. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between you and the Company with respect to the subject
matter hereof and supersedes any and all prior or contemporaneous oral or written communications respecting such subject matter.
This Agreement shall not be modified, amended or in any way altered except by written instrument signed by you and by an officer
of the Company duly authorized by Parent’s Board of Directors to execute such instrument. A waiver by either party hereto
of any rights or remedies hereunder on any occasion shall not be a bar to the exercise of the same right or remedy on any subsequent
occasion or of any other right or remedy at any time.

 

12.  Waiver of Jury
Trial. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM
ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT.

 

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13.  Remedies.
Each of the parties to this Agreement and any such person or entity granted rights hereunder whether or not such person or entity
is a signatory hereto shall be entitled to enforce its rights under this Agreement specifically to recover damages and costs for
any breach of any provision of this Agreement and to exercise all other rights existing in its favor. The parties hereto agree
and acknowledge that money damages may not be an adequate remedy for any breach of the provisions of this Agreement and that each
party may in its sole discretion apply to any court of law or equity of competent jurisdiction for specific performance, injunctive
relief and/or other appropriate equitable relief (without posting any bond or deposit) in order to enforce or prevent any violations
of the provisions of this Agreement. Each party shall be responsible for paying its own attorneys’ fees, costs and other
expenses pertaining to any such legal proceeding and enforcement regardless of whether an award or finding or any judgment or verdict
thereon is entered against either party.

 

14.  Counterparts.
This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original as against any party whose
signature appears thereon, and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

[Signature page follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF,
you and the Company have executed this Agreement as of September 16, 2016.

 

	 	Francesca’s Services Corporation
	 	a Delaware corporation
	 	Francesca’s Collections, Inc.
	 	a Texas corporation
	 	Francesca’s Holdings Corporation
	 	a Delaware corporation
	 	 	 
	 	By:  	/s/ Rick Kunes
	 	 	Rick Kunes, Interim CEO
	 	 	 
	 	AGREED BY:
	 	 
	 	 /s/ Steve Lawrence
	 	Steve Lawrence

 

    	 	11	 

     

    

 

Exhibit A

 

	Performance Criteria	 	Weighting	 	 	 	Payout as % of

    Target Bonus

    Allocable to the

    Metric	 	$ Target
	Pre-Tax Earnings (Income from continuing operations before income taxes)	 	66.7%	 	
        Maximum

        Target

        Threshold
	 	
        200%

        100%

        Up to 25%
	 	
        $43.5m

        $34.7m

        $30.4m

	Comparable Store Sales (Relative to our performance group)	 	33.3%	 	
        Maximum

        Target

        Threshold
	 	
        200%

        100%

        25%
	 	
        TBD

        TBD

        TBD

 

Target Bonus for purposes of this Exhibit A: $330,344 [($657,400
x .75) x.67].

 

Performance Group for purposes of this Exhibit shall be as follows:

Dillard’s, Inc., Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Genesco Inc.,
J. C. Penney Company, Inc., American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. Guess?, Inc., Kohl’s Corporation, Ann Inc., L Brands, Inc., Macy’s,
Inc., Ascena Retail Group, Inc., The Men’s Wearhouse, Inc., Nordstrom, Inc., Chico’s FAS, Inc., Ross Stores, Inc.,
Sears Holdings Corporation, DSW Inc., The TJX Companies, Inc., Foot Locker, Inc., Urban Outfitters, Inc., The Gap, Inc.

 

All of the above subject to confirmation per the final reported
by Prior Employer.EX-10.1

 Exhibit 10.1 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT 

This Registration Rights Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made as of September 19, 2016, by and between Aquinox
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the persons listed on the attached Schedule A who are signatories to this Agreement (collectively, the “Investors”). Unless otherwise defined
herein, capitalized terms used in this Agreement have the respective meanings ascribed to them in Section 1. 
 RECITALS

 WHEREAS, the Company and the Investors wish to provide for certain arrangements with respect to the registration of the
Registrable Securities (as defined below) by the Company under the Securities Act (as defined below). 
 NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the mutual promises and covenants set forth herein, and other consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows: 

Section 1 

Definitions 
 1.1.
Certain Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, as used in this Agreement, the following terms have the respective meanings set forth below: 

(a) “Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company. 

(b) “Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other federal agency at the time administering the
Securities Act. 
 (c) “Common Stock” shall mean the common stock of the Company, par value $ 0.000001 per share. 

(d) “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any similar successor federal statute and
the rules and regulations thereunder, all as the same shall be in effect from time to time. 
 (e) [Reserved] 

(f) “Other Securities” shall mean securities of the Company, other than Registrable Securities (as defined below), with
respect to which registration rights have been granted by the Company from time to time. 
 (g) “Person” shall mean any
individual, partnership, corporation, company, association, trust, joint venture, limited liability company, unincorporated organization, entity or division, or any government, governmental department or agency or political subdivision thereof. 

 (h) “Registrable Securities” shall mean the shares of Common Stock and any
Common Stock issued or issuable upon the exercise or conversion of any other securities (whether equity, debt or otherwise) of the Company now owned or hereafter acquired by any of the Investors. 

(i) The terms “register,” “registered” and “registration” shall refer to a registration
effected by preparing and filing a Registration Statement in compliance with the Securities Act, and such Registration Statement becoming effective under the Securities Act. 

(j) “Registration Expenses” shall mean all (i) expenses incurred by the Company in effecting any registration pursuant
to this Agreement, including, without limitation, all registration, qualification, and filing fees, printing expenses, escrow fees, fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, blue sky fees and expenses, (ii) expenses incurred by the
Company of any regular or special audits incident to or required by any such registration, and (iii) expenses incurred by the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of
any Registrable Securities registered pursuant to this Agreement. 
 (k) “Registration Statement” means any registration
statement of the Company filed with, or to be filed with, the SEC under the Securities Act, including the related prospectus, amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including pre- and post-effective amendments, and all exhibits
and all material incorporated by reference in such registration statement as may be necessary to comply with applicable securities laws other than a registration statement (and related prospectus) filed on Form S-4 or Form S-8 or any successor forms
thereto. 
 (l) “Rule 144” shall mean Rule 144 as promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Act, as such
rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar successor rule that may be promulgated by the Commission. 
 (m) “Securities
Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any similar successor federal statute and the rules and regulations thereunder, all as the same shall be in effect from time to time. 

(n) “Selling Expenses” shall mean all underwriting discounts and selling commissions applicable to the sale of Registrable
Securities, the fees and expenses of any legal counsel and any other advisors any of the Investors engage and all similar fees and commissions relating to the Investors’ disposition of the Registrable Securities. 

Section 2 
 Resale
Registration Rights 
 2.1. Resale Registration Rights. 

(a) Following demand by any Investor the Company shall file with the Commission a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (except if the Company is
not then eligible to register for resale the Registrable Securities on Form S-3, in which case such registration shall be on another appropriate form in accordance with the Securities Act) covering the resale of the

  
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Registrable Securities by the Investors (the “Resale Registration Shelf”), and the Company shall file such Resale Registration Shelf as promptly as reasonably practicable
following such demand, and in any event within sixty (60) days of such demand; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to make any such filing until after December 19, 2016 (the “Demand Effective
Date”). Such Resale Registration Shelf shall include a “final” prospectus, including the information required by Item 507 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, as provided by the Investors in accordance with
Section 2.7. Notwithstanding the foregoing, before filing the Resale Registration Shelf, the Company shall furnish to the Investors a copy of the Resale Registration Shelf and afford the Investors an opportunity to review and comment on the
Resale Registration Shelf. The Company’s obligation pursuant to this Section 2.1(a) is conditioned upon the Investors providing the information contemplated in Section 2.7. 

(b) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Resale Registration Shelf and related prospectuses to become effective as
promptly as practicable after filing. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to remain effective under the Securities Act until the earlier of (i) all Registrable Securities covered by the Resale
Registration Shelf have been sold or may be sold freely without limitations or restrictions as to volume or manner of sale pursuant to Rule 144 or (ii) all Registrable Securities covered by the Resale Registration Shelf otherwise cease to be
Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2.9 hereof. The Company shall promptly, and within two (2) business days after the Company confirms effectiveness of the Resale Registration Shelf with the Commission, notify the Investors
of the effectiveness of the Resale Registration Shelf. 
 (c) Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Company shall
not be obligated to effect, or to take any action to effect, a registration pursuant to Section 2.1(a): 
 (i) if the
Company has and maintains an effective Registration Statement on Form S-3ASR that provides for the resale of an unlimited number of securities by selling stockholders (a “Company Registration Shelf”); or 

(ii) during the period forty-five (45) days prior to the Company’s good faith estimate of the date of filing of a Company
Registration Shelf; or 
 (iii) if the Company has caused a Registration Statement to become effective pursuant to
this Section 2.1 during the prior twelve (12) month period. 
 (d) If the Company has a Company Registration
Shelf in place at any time in which the Investors make a demand pursuant to Section 2.1(a), the Company shall file with the Commission, as promptly as practicable, and in any event within fifteen (15) business days after such
demand, a “final” prospectus supplement to its Company Registration Shelf covering the resale of the Registrable Securities by the Investors (the “Prospectus”); provided, however, that (i) the Company
shall not be obligated to make any such filing until after the Demand Effective Date and (ii) the Company shall not be obligated to file more than one Prospectus pursuant to this Section 2.1(d) in any six month period to add additional
Registrable Securities to the Company Registration Shelf that were acquired by the Investors other than directly from the Company or in an underwritten public offering by the Company. The Prospectus shall include

  
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the information required under Item 507 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, which information shall be provided by the Investors in accordance with Section 2.7. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, before filing the Prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Investors a copy of the Prospectus and afford the Investors an opportunity to review and comment on the Prospectus. 

(e) Deferral and Suspension. At any time after being obligated to file a Resale Registration Shelf or Prospectus, or after any Resale
Registration Shelf has become effective or a Prospectus filed with the Commission, the Company may defer the filing of or suspend the use of any such Resale Registration Shelf or Prospectus, upon giving written notice of such action to the Investors
with a certificate signed by the Principal Executive Officer of the Company stating that in the good faith judgment of the Board, the filing or use of any such Resale Registration Shelf or Prospectus covering the Registrable Securities would be
seriously detrimental to the Company or its stockholders at such time and that the Board concludes, as a result, that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to defer the filing or suspend the use of such Resale Registration
Shelf or Prospectus at such time. The Company shall have the right to defer the filing of or suspend the use of such Resale Registration Shelf or Prospectus for a period of not more than one hundred twenty (120) days from the date the Company
notifies the Investors of such deferral or suspension; provided that the Company shall not exercise the right contained in this Section 2.1(e) more than once in any twelve month period. In the case of the suspension of use of any
effective Resale Registration Shelf or Prospectus, the Investors, immediately upon receipt of notice thereof from the Company, shall discontinue any offers or sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Resale Registration Shelf or Prospectus
until advised in writing by the Company that the use of such Resale Registration Shelf or Prospectus may be resumed. In the case of a deferred Prospectus or Resale Registration Shelf filing, the Company shall provide prompt written notice to the
Investors of (i) the Company’s decision to file or seek effectiveness of the Prospectus or Resale Registration Shelf, as the case may be, following such deferral and (ii) in the case of a Resale Registration Shelf, the effectiveness
of such Resale Registration Shelf. In the case of either a suspension of use of, or deferred filing of, any Resale Registration Shelf or Prospectus, the Company shall not, during the pendency of such suspension or deferral, be required to take any
action hereunder (including any action pursuant to Section 2.2 hereof) with respect to the registration or sale of any Registrable Securities pursuant to any such Resale Registration Shelf, Company Registration Shelf or Prospectus. 

(f) Other Securities. Subject to Section 2.2(e) below, any Resale Registration Shelf or Prospectus may include Other
Securities, and may include securities of the Company being sold for the account of the Company; provided such Other Securities are excluded first from such Registration Statement in order to comply with any applicable laws or request from
any Government Entity, Nasdaq or any applicable listing agency. For the avoidance of doubt, no Other Securities may be included in an underwritten offering pursuant to Section 2.2 without the consent of the Investors. 

2.2. Sales and Underwritten Offerings of the Registrable Securities. 

(a) Notwithstanding any provision contained herein to the contrary, the Investors, collectively, shall, following the Demand Effective Date
and subject to the limitations set forth in this Section 2.2, be permitted one underwritten public offering per calendar year, but no more than three underwritten public offerings in total, to effect the sale or distribution of
Registrable Securities. 

  
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 (b) If the Investors intend to effect an underwritten public offering pursuant to a Resale
Registration Shelf or Company Registration Shelf to sell or otherwise distribute Registrable Securities, they shall so advise the Company and provide as much notice to the Company as reasonably practicable (and in any event not less than fifteen
(15) business days prior to the Investors’ request that the Company file a prospectus supplement to a Resale Registration Shelf or Company Registration Shelf). 

(c) In connection with any offering initiated by the Investors pursuant to this Section 2.2 involving an underwriting of shares of
Registrable Securities, the Investors shall be entitled to select the underwriter or underwriters for such offering, subject to the consent of the Company, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed. 

(d) In connection with any offering initiated by the Investors pursuant to this Section 2.2 involving an underwriting of shares of
Registrable Securities, the Company shall not be required to include any of the Registrable Securities in such underwriting unless the Investors (i) enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the underwriter or underwriters,
(ii) accept customary terms in such underwriting agreement with regard to representations and warranties relating to ownership of the Registrable Securities and authority and power to enter into such underwriting agreement and
(iii) complete and execute all questionnaires, powers of attorney, custody agreements, indemnities and other documents as may be requested by such underwriter or underwriters. Further, the Company shall not be required to include any of the
Registrable Securities in such underwriting if (Y) the underwriting agreement proposed by the underwriter or underwriters contains representations, warranties or conditions that are not reasonable in light of the Company’s then-current
business or (Z) the underwriter, underwriters or the Investors require the Company to participate in any marketing, road show or comparable activity that may be required to complete the orderly sale of shares by the underwriter or underwriters.

 (e) If the total amount of securities to be sold in any offering initiated by the Investors pursuant to this Section 2.2
involving an underwriting of shares of Registrable Securities exceeds the amount that the underwriters determine in their sole discretion is compatible with the success of the offering, then the Company shall be required to include in the offering
only that number of such securities, including Registrable Securities (subject in each case to the cutback provisions set forth in this Section 2.2(e)), that the underwriters and the Company determine in their sole discretion shall not
jeopardize the success of the offering. If the underwritten public offering has been requested pursuant to Section 2.2(a) hereof, the number of shares that are entitled to be included in the registration and underwriting shall be
allocated in the following manner: (a) first, shares of Company equity securities that the Company desires to include in such registration shall be excluded and (b) second, Registrable Securities requested to be included in
such registration by the Investors shall be excluded. To facilitate the allocation of shares in accordance with the above provisions, the Company or the underwriters may round down the number of shares allocated to any of the Investors to the
nearest 100 shares. 

  
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 2.3. Fees and Expenses. Investors agree to pay or reimburse the Company for all
Registration Expenses incurred in connection with registrations pursuant to this Agreement. All Selling Expenses relating to securities registered on behalf of the Investors shall be borne by the Investors. 

2.4. Registration Procedures. In the case of each registration of Registrable Securities effected by the Company pursuant to
Section 2.1 hereof, the Company shall keep the Investors advised as to the initiation of each such registration and as to the status thereof. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts, within the limits set forth in this
Section 2.4, to: 
 (a) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and supplements to such Registration Statement and
the prospectuses used in connection with such Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective and current and comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities
covered by such Registration Statement; 
 (b) furnish to the Investors such numbers of copies of a prospectus, including preliminary
prospectuses, in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act, and such other documents as the Investors may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of Registrable Securities; 

(c) use its reasonable best efforts to register and qualify the Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement under such other
securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as shall be reasonably requested by the Investors, provided that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition thereto to qualify to do business or
to file a general consent to service of process in any such states or jurisdictions; 
 (d) in the event of any underwritten public
offering, and subject to Section 2.2(d), enter into and perform its obligations under an underwriting agreement, in usual and customary form, with the managing underwriter of such offering and take such other usual and customary action
as the Investors may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities; 
 (e) notify the Investors
at any time when a prospectus relating to a Registration Statement covering any Registrable Securities is required to be delivered under the Securities Act of the happening of any event as a result of which the prospectus included in such
Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances
then existing. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to amend or supplement such prospectus in order to cause such prospectus not to include 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 in the light of the circumstances then existing; 

  
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 (f) provide a transfer agent and registrar for all Registrable Securities registered pursuant to
such Registration Statement and, if required, a CUSIP number for all such Registrable Securities, in each case not later than the effective date of such registration; 

(g) if requested by an Investor, use reasonable best efforts to cause the Company’s transfer agent to remove any restrictive legend from
any Registrable Securities being transferred by an Investor pursuant to a Resale Registration Shelf or Company Registration Shelf, within two business days following such request; 

(h) cause to be furnished, at the request of the Investors, on the date that Registrable Securities are delivered to underwriters for sale in
connection with an underwritten offering pursuant to this Agreement, (i) an opinion, dated such date, of the counsel representing the Company for the purposes of such registration, in form and substance as is customarily given to underwriters
in an underwritten public offering, addressed to the underwriters, and (ii) a letter or letters from the independent certified public accountants of the Company, in form and substance as is customarily given by independent certified public
accountants to underwriters in an underwritten public offering, addressed to the underwriters; and 
 (i) cause all such Registrable
Securities included in a Registration Statement pursuant to this Agreement to be listed on each securities exchange or other securities trading markets on which Common Stock is then listed. 

2.5. The Investors Obligations. 

(a) Discontinuance of Distribution. The Investors agree that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the occurrence of any
event of the kind described in Section 2.4(e) hereof, the Investors shall immediately discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to any Registration Statement covering such Registrable Securities until the Investors’
receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 2.4(e) hereof or receipt of notice that no supplement or amendment is required and that the Investors’ disposition of the Registrable Securities
may be resumed. The Company may provide appropriate stop orders to enforce the provisions of this Section 2.5(a). 
 (b)
Compliance with Prospectus Delivery Requirements. The Investors covenant and agree that they shall comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act as applicable to them or an exemption therefrom in connection with sales
of Registrable Securities pursuant to any Registration Statement filed by the Company pursuant to this Agreement. 
 (c) Notification of
Sale of Registrable Securities. The Investors covenant and agree that they shall notify the Company following the sale of Registrable Securities to a third party as promptly as reasonably practicable, and in any event within thirty
(30) days, following the sale of such Registrable Securities. 

  
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 2.6. Indemnification. 

(a) To the extent permitted by law, the Company shall indemnify the Investors, and, as applicable, their officers, directors, and constituent
partners, legal counsel for each Investor and each Person controlling the Investors, with respect to which registration, related qualification, or related compliance of Registrable Securities has been effected pursuant to this Agreement, and each
underwriter, if any, and each Person who controls any underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act against all claims, losses, damages, or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) to the extent such claims, losses, damages, or liabilities
arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) of a material fact contained in any prospectus or other document (including any related Registration Statement) incident to any such registration,
qualification, or compliance, or (ii) any omission (or alleged omission) to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (iii) any violation or alleged violation
by the Company of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any state securities law, or any rule or regulation promulgated under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any state securities law applicable to the Company and relating to action or
inaction required of the Company in connection with any such registration, qualification, or compliance; and the Company shall pay as incurred to the Investors, each such underwriter, and each Person who controls the Investors or underwriter, any
legal and any other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending any such claim, loss, damage, liability, or action; provided, however, that the indemnity contained in this Section 2.6(a) shall
not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any such claim, loss, damage, liability, or action if settlement is effected without the consent of the Company (which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld); and provided, further, that the Company
shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such claim, loss, damage, liability, or expense arises out of or is based upon any violation by such Investor of the obligations set forth in Section 2.5 hereof or any untrue
statement or omission contained in such prospectus or other document based upon written information furnished to the Company by the Investors, such underwriter, or such controlling Person and stated to be for use therein. 

(b) To the extent permitted by law, each Investor (severally and not jointly) shall, if Registrable Securities held by such Investor are
included for sale in the registration and related qualification and compliance effected pursuant to this Agreement, indemnify the Company, each of its directors, each officer of the Company who signs the applicable Registration Statement, each legal
counsel and each underwriter of the Company’s securities covered by such a Registration Statement, each Person who controls the Company or such underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act against all claims, losses, damages, and
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arising out of or based upon (i) any untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) of a material fact contained in any such Registration Statement, or related document, or (ii) any omission (or
alleged omission) to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (iii) any violation or alleged violation by such Investor of Section 2.5 hereof, the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any state securities law, or any rule or regulation promulgated under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any state securities law applicable to such Investor and relating to action or inaction required of such
Investor in connection with any such registration and related qualification and compliance, and shall pay as incurred to such persons, any legal and any other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending any such claim,
loss, damage, liability, or action, in each case only to the extent that such untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) or omission (or alleged omission) is made in (and such violation pertains to) such Registration Statement or related
document in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Investor and stated to be specifically 

  
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for use therein; provided, however, that the indemnity contained in this Section 2.6(b) shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any such claim, loss, damage,
liability, or action if settlement is effected without the consent of such Investor (which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld); provided, further, that such Investor’s liability under this Section 2.6(b) (when combined with
any amounts such Investor is liable for under Section 2.6(d)) shall not exceed such Investor’s net proceeds from the offering of securities made in connection with such registration. 

(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 2.6 of notice of the commencement of any action, such
indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 2.6, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof and generally summarize such action. The
indemnifying party shall have the right to participate in and to assume the defense of such claim; provided, however, that the indemnifying party shall be entitled to select counsel for the defense of such claim with the approval of
any parties entitled to indemnification, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld; provided further, however, that if either party reasonably determines that there may be a conflict between the position of the Company and the Investors in
conducting the defense of such action, suit, or proceeding by reason of recognized claims for indemnity under this Section 2.6, then counsel for such party shall be entitled to conduct the defense to the extent reasonably determined by
such counsel to be necessary to protect the interest of such party. The failure to notify an indemnifying party promptly of the commencement of any such action, if prejudicial to the ability of the indemnifying party to defend such action, shall
relieve such indemnifying party, to the extent so prejudiced, of any liability to the indemnified party under this Section 2.6, but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve such party of any liability that such
party may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 2.6. 
 (d) If the indemnification provided for in
this Section 2.6 is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unavailable to an indemnified party with respect to any loss, liability, claim, damage, or expense referred to therein, then the indemnifying party, in lieu of
indemnifying such indemnified party hereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, liability, claim, damage, or expense in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault
of the indemnifying party on the one hand and of the indemnified party on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, liability, claim, damage, or expense as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative fault of the indemnifying party and of the indemnified party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission to state a material
fact relates to information supplied by the indemnifying party or by the indemnified party and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information, and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. In no event,
however, shall (i) any amount due for contribution hereunder be in excess of the amount that would otherwise be due under Section 2.6(a) or Section 2.6(b), as applicable, based on the limitations of such provisions and
(ii) a Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of the Securities Act) be entitled to contribution from a Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. 

  
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 (e) Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that the provisions on indemnification and
contribution contained in the underwriting agreement entered into in connection with an underwritten public offering are in conflict with the foregoing provisions, the provisions in the underwriting agreement shall control; provided,
however, that the failure of the underwriting agreement to provide for or address a matter provided for or addressed by the foregoing provisions shall not be a conflict between the underwriting agreement and the foregoing provisions. 

(f) The obligations of the Company and the Investors under this Section 2.6 shall survive the completion of any offering of
Registrable Securities in a Registration Statement under this Agreement or otherwise. 
 2.7. Information. The Investors shall
furnish to the Company such information regarding the Investors and the distribution proposed by the Investors as the Company may reasonably request and as shall be reasonably required in connection with any registration referred to in this
Agreement. The Investors agree to, as promptly as practicable (and in any event prior to any sales made pursuant to a prospectus), furnish to the Company all information required to be disclosed in order to make the information previously furnished
to the Company by the Investors not misleading. The Investors agree to keep confidential the receipt of any notice received pursuant to Section 2.4(e) and the contents thereof, except as required pursuant to applicable law.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Company shall be under no obligation to name the Investors in any Registration Statement if the Investors have not provided the information required by this Section 2.7 with respect to
the Investors as a selling securityholder in such Registration Statement or any related prospectus. 
 2.8. Rule 144 Requirements.
With a view to making available to the Investors the benefits of Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act and any other rule or regulation of the Commission that may at any time permit the Investors to sell Registrable Securities to the public
without registration, the Company agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to: 
 (a) make and keep public information available, as those
terms are understood and defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act at all times after the date hereof; 
 (b) file with the Commission in
a timely manner all reports and other documents required of the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act; 
 (c) prior to the
filing of the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto (whether pre-effective or post-effective), and prior to the filing of any prospectus or prospectus supplement related thereto, to provide the Investors with copies of all of the pages
thereof (if any) that reference the Investors; and 
 (d) furnish to any Investor, so long as the Investor owns any Registrable Securities,
forthwith upon request (i) a written statement by the Company that it has complied with the reporting requirements of Rule 144, (ii) a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Company and such other reports and documents
so filed by the Company, and (iii) such other information as may be reasonably requested by an Investor in availing itself of any rule or regulation of the Commission which permits an Investor to sell any such securities without registration.

  
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 2.9. Termination of Status as Registrable Securities. The Registrable Securities shall
cease to be Registrable Securities upon the earliest to occur of the following events: (i) such Registrable Securities have been sold pursuant to an effective Registration Statement; (ii) such Registrable Securities have been sold by the
Investors pursuant to Rule 144 (or other similar rule), (iii) such Registrable Securities may be resold by the Investor holding such Registrable Securities without limitations as to volume or manner of sale pursuant to Rule 144; or
(iv) ten (10) years after the date of this Agreement. 
 Section 4 

Miscellaneous 
 3.1.
Amendment. No amendment, alteration or modification of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be binding unless made in writing and signed by each of the Company and the Investors. 

3.2. Injunctive Relief. It is hereby agreed and acknowledged that it shall be impossible to measure in money the damages that would be
suffered if the parties fail to comply with any of the obligations herein imposed on them and that in the event of any such failure, an aggrieved Person shall be irreparably damaged and shall not have an adequate remedy at law. Any such Person
shall, therefore, be entitled (in addition to any other remedy to which it may be entitled in law or in equity) to injunctive relief, including, without limitation, specific performance, to enforce such obligations, and if any action should be
brought in equity to enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement, none of the parties hereto shall raise the defense that there is an adequate remedy at law. 

3.3. Notices. All notices required or permitted under this Agreement must be in writing and sent to the address or facsimile number
identified below. Notices must be given: (a) by personal delivery, with receipt acknowledged; (b) by facsimile followed by hard copy delivered by the methods under clause (c) or (d); (c) by prepaid certified or
registered mail, return receipt requested; or (d) by prepaid reputable overnight delivery service. Notices shall be effective upon receipt. Either party may change its notice address by providing the other party written notice of such change.
Notices shall be delivered as follows: 
  

			
	If to the Investors:	  	At such Investor’s address as set forth on Schedule A hereto
		
	If to the Company:	  	Aquinox Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
		  	450-887 Great Northern Way
		  	Vancouver, B.C., Canada V5T 4T5 (fax: (778) 331-4486)
		  	Attention: President and Chief Executive Officer
		
	with a copy to:	  	Cooley LLP
		  	3175 Hanover Street
		  	Palo Alto, CA 94304-1130
		  	Attention: Michael Tenta
		  	(fax: (650) 849-7400)

  
 11 

 3.4. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Venue; Jury Trial. 

(a) This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York without giving effect to any
choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of New York. 

(b) Each of the Company and the Investors irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the nonexclusive
jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, New York and of the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding
arising out of or relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the Company and the Investors irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of
any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York state court or, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, in such federal court. Each of the Company and the Investors hereto agrees that a final judgment in any
such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. 

(c) Each of the Company and the Investors irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any
objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein in any court referred to in Section 3.4(b) hereof. Each
of the Company and the Investors hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court. 

(d) EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE INVESTORS HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE
TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE INVESTORS
(A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES
THAT EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE INVESTORS HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION. 

  
 12 

 3.5. Successors, Assigns and Transferees. Any and all rights, duties and obligations
hereunder shall not be assigned, transferred, delegated or sublicensed by any party hereto without the prior written consent of the other party; provided, however, that the Investors shall be entitled to transfer Registrable Securities
to one or more of their affiliates and, solely in connection therewith, may assign their rights hereunder in respect of such transferred Registrable Securities, in each case, so long as such Investor is not relieved of any liability or obligations
hereunder, without the prior consent of the Company. Any transfer or assignment made other than as provided in the first sentence of this Section 3.5 shall be null and void. Subject to the foregoing and except as otherwise provided
herein, the provisions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the successors, permitted assigns, heirs, executors and administrators of the parties hereto. 

3.6. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with any exhibits hereto, constitute the entire agreement between the parties relating
to the subject matter hereof and all previous agreements or arrangements between the parties, written or oral, relating to the subject matter hereof are superseded. 

3.7. Waiver. No failure on the part of either party hereto to exercise any power, right, privilege or remedy under this Agreement, and
no delay on the part of either party hereto in exercising any power, right, privilege or remedy under this Agreement, shall operate as a waiver thereof; and no single or partial exercise of any such power, right, privilege or remedy shall preclude
any other or further exercise thereof or of any other power, right, privilege or remedy. 
 3.8. Severability. If any part of this
Agreement is declared invalid or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, such declaration shall not affect the remainder of the Agreement and the invalidated provision shall be revised in a manner that shall render such provision valid
while preserving the parties’ original intent to the maximum extent possible. 
 3.9. Titles and Subtitles. The titles and
subtitles used in this Agreement are used for convenience only and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting this Agreement. All references in this Agreement to sections, paragraphs and exhibits shall, unless otherwise provided, refer
to sections and paragraphs hereof and exhibits attached hereto. 
 3.10. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number
of counterparts, each of which shall be enforceable against the parties that execute such counterparts (including by facsimile or other electronic means), and all of which together shall constitute one instrument. 

3.11. Term and Termination. The Investors’ rights to demand the registration of the Registrable Securities under this Agreement,
as well as the Company’s obligations under Section 2.2 hereof, shall terminate automatically once all Registrable Securities cease to be Registrable Securities pursuant to the terms of Section 2.9 of this Agreement. 

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank; Signature Pages Follow] 

  
 13 

 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Registration Rights Agreement effective
as of the day, month and year first above written. 
  

			
	 AQUINOX PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

a Delaware Corporation

		
	By:	 	/s/ David Main
	Name:	 	David Main
	Title:	 	President and Chief Executive Officer

 [Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement] 

 
			
	 667, L.P.
  

	By:	 	 BAKER BROS. ADVISORS LP,
 management company and
investment adviser to 667, L.P., pursuant to authority granted to it by Baker Biotech Capital, L.P., general partner to 667, L.P., and not as the general partner

		
	By:	 	/s/ Scott L. Lessing
		 	Scott L. Lessing
		 	President

  

			
	 BAKER BROTHERS LIFE SCIENCES, L.P.
  

	By:	 	 BAKER BROS. ADVISORS LP,
 management company and
investment adviser to BAKER BROTHERS LIFE SCIENCES, L.P., pursuant to authority granted to it by Baker Brothers Life Sciences Capital, L.P., general partner to BAKER BROTHERS LIFE SCIENCES, L.P., and not as the general partner

		
	By:	 	/s/ Scott L. Lessing
		 	Scott L. Lessing
		 	President

 [Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement] 

 Schedule A 

The Investors 
 667, L.P. 

BAKER BROTHERS LIFE SCIENCES, L.P. 
 To the above Investors: 

Baker Brothers Investments 
 667
Madison Avenue 21st Floor 
 New York, NY 10065 

With a copy to: 
 Akin Gump Strauss
Hauer & Feld LLP 
 Attn: Jeffrey Kochian 

One Bryant Park 
 New York, NY
10036-6745

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