Document:

Exhibit 4.4

 

EXECUTION COPY

 

	
DATED
    	
2016
    

 

VERONA PHARMA PLC

 

and

 

NPLUS1 SINGER ADVISORY LLP

	
 
    

 

WARRANT INSTRUMENT

	
 
    

 

	
5 New Street   Square | London EC4A 3TW
    	
TaylorWessing
    

Tel +44 (0)20 7300 7000

Fax +44 (0)20 7300 7100

DX 41 London

www.taylorwessing.com

 

 

Index

 

	
Clause No.
    	
 
    	
Page No.
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
1.
    	
Definitions and   Interpretation
    	
 
    	
1
    
	
2.
    	
The Warrants
    	
 
    	
3
    
	
3.
    	
Allotment of Warrant   Shares
    	
 
    	
4
    
	
4.
    	
Adjustment
    	
 
    	
4
    
	
5.
    	
Warranties
    	
 
    	
5
    
	
6.
    	
Other Provisions
    	
 
    	
5
    
	
7.
    	
Rights as Shareholders
    	
 
    	
6
    
	
8.
    	
Entitlement to   Certificate
    	
 
    	
6
    
	
9.
    	
Register and Transfer
    	
 
    	
6
    
	
10.
    	
Warrants Free From   Equities
    	
 
    	
7
    
	
11.
    	
Trusts Not Recognised
    	
 
    	
7
    
	
12.
    	
Transfer of Warrants
    	
 
    	
7
    
	
13.
    	
Registration
    	
 
    	
7
    
	
14.
    	
Transmission
    	
 
    	
7
    
	
15.
    	
Meetings of   Warrantholders
    	
 
    	
7
    
	
16.
    	
Regulations as to   Meetings
    	
 
    	
8
    
	
17.
    	
Adjournment of Meetings
    	
 
    	
8
    
	
18.
    	
Replacement of Warrants
    	
 
    	
9
    
	
19.
    	
Modification and Waiver
    	
 
    	
9
    
	
20.
    	
Illegality
    	
 
    	
9
    
	
21.
    	
Notices
    	
 
    	
9
    
	
22.
    	
Governing Law and   Jurisdiction
    	
 
    	
10
    

 

 

THIS INSTRUMENT is made on

 

BETWEEN:

 

(1)                                 VERONA PHARMA PLC, a public limited liability company incorporated and registered in England & Wales under company number 05375156, whose registered office is at One, Central Square, Cardiff CF10 1FS (the “Company”); and

 

(2)                                 NPLUS1 SINGER ADVISORY LLP, a limited liability company incorporated and registered in England and Wales under company number OC364131, whose registered office is at One, Bartholomew Lane, London EC2N 2AX (the “Warrantholder”).

 

IT IS AGREED:

 

1.                                      Definitions and Interpretation

 

1.1                               Definitions

 

In this Instrument:

 

“AIM” means the Alternative Investment Market, a market operated by the Exchange;

 

“Articles” means the articles of association of the Company as amended from time to time;

 

“Associate” has the meaning ascribed to it in section 1152 of the Companies Act 2006;

 

“Auditors” means the auditors of the Company for the time being;

 

“Business Day” means a day (other than a Saturday or Sunday) when banks generally are open for the transaction of banking business in London, UK;

 

“Change of Control” has the meaning given in clause 6.2;

 

“Directors” means the directors of the Company for the time being;

 

“Encumbrances” means any interest or equity of any person (including any right to acquire, option or right of pre-emption or conversion) or any mortgage, charge, pledge, lien, assignment, hypothecation, security interest, title retention, or any other security agreement or arrangement, or any agreement to create any of the above;

 

“Exchange” means London Stock Exchange plc;

 

“Holding company” has the meaning ascribed to it in section 1159 of the Companies Act 2006;

 

“Notice of Exercise” means the notice of exercise endorsed on the Warrant Certificate;

 

“N+1 Singer Engagement Letter” means the engagement letter entered into between the Warrantholder and the Company on 6 August 2014 in relation to the Warrantholder’s role as nominated advisor and broker to the Company;

 

 

“Ordinary Shareholders” means the holders of the Shares for the time being;

 

“Proposed Purchaser” has the meaning given in clause 6.3;

 

“Registered Office” means the registered office of the Company;

 

“Shares” means ordinary shares of 0.1 pence each in the capital of the Company;

 

“Subscription Price” means 2.2 pence per Warrant Share in respect of 6,666,667 Warrant Shares and 3.5 pence per warrant share in respect of the remaining 3,333,333 Warrant Shares (in each case subject to adjustment as hereinafter provided);

 

“Subsidiary” has the meaning ascribed to it in section 1162 of the Companies Act 2006;

 

“UK” means United Kingdom;

 

“Warrant Certificate” means, in relation to the Warrants, the certificate evidencing it substantially in the form set out in the schedule;

 

“Warrant Shares” means 10,000,000 Shares (subject to adjustment as hereinafter provided);

 

“Warrant Period” means the period commencing on the date of this Instrument and ending on 5 August 2018; and

 

“Warrants” means the warrants of the Company constituted by this Instrument, including the right to subscribe for the Warrant Shares at the Subscription Price.

 

1.2                               Interpretation

 

In this Instrument:

 

(a)                                 a party or the parties means a party or the parties to this Instrument;

 

(b)                                 headings, schedules, clauses, paragraphs and table of contents in this Instrument are for ease of reference only and shall not be taken into account in the construction of this Instrument;

 

(c)                                  references to statutory provisions, enactments or EC Directives shall include references to any amendment, modification, extension, consolidation, replacement or re-enactment of any such provision, enactment or EC Directive (whether before or after the date of this Instrument), to any previous enactment which has been replaced or amended and to any regulation, instrument or order or other subordinate legislation made under such provision, enactment or EC Directive;

 

(d)                                 except where the context specifically requires otherwise, words importing one gender shall be treated as importing any gender, words importing individuals shall be treated as importing corporations and vice versa, words importing the singular shall be treated as importing the plural and vice versa, and words importing the whole shall be treated as including a reference to any part;

 

(e)                                  reference to this Instrument includes the schedules;

 

(f)                                   a “clause” or “schedule” is a reference to relevant clause or schedule of or to the Instrument;

 

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(g)                                  the words “other” and “otherwise” are not to be construed as being limited by any words preceding them;

 

(h)                                 where the words “include(s)”, “including” or “in particular” are used in this Instrument, they are deemed to have the words “without limitation” following them;

 

(i)                                     a reference to a time of day is to London, UK time; and

 

(j)                                    “£” means pounds sterling, the lawful currency of the UK.

 

2.                                      The Warrants

 

2.1                               The Warrants shall be issued subject to the terms of this Instrument and the Articles.

 

2.2                               In consideration of N+1 Singer fulfilling agreeing to act as nominated adviser and broker to the Company pursuant to the N+1 Singer Engagement Letter and upon the terms of this Instrument, the Company hereby grants to the Warrantholder the Warrants which give the Warrantholder the right to convert the Warrants into Warrant Shares, on the basis of one Warrant Share for each Warrant, and are exercisable for cash at the Subscription Price in whole or in part at any time during the Warrant Period. The Company agrees with the Warrantholder to comply with the provisions of this Instrument.

 

2.3                               Entitlement to the rights attaching to the Warrants held by the Warrantholder shall be evidenced by the issue to the Warrantholder of a Warrant Certificate.

 

2.4                               The number and/or nominal value of Shares to be subscribed and the Subscription Price shall be subject to adjustment in accordance with clause 4.

 

2.5                               The Warrants shall be exercised by the Warrantholder lodging with the Company at the Registered Office:

 

(a)           a complete Notice of Exercise and the Warrant Certificate;

 

(b)           payment in cash of the Subscription Price in full in respect thereof.

 

2.6          Once lodged, a Notice of Exercise may not be revoked except with the consent of the Directors.

 

2.7                               When the Warrants are exercised only in part, the Company shall issue a fresh Warrant Certificate in the name of the Warrantholder for any balance of Warrants remaining exercisable.

 

2.8                               If at the time of exercise of the Warrants, the Shares are admitted to trading on AIM, the Company shall as soon as reasonably practicable (and in any event, no later than 10 Business Days after the exercise of the Warrants) after the allotment of any Shares pursuant to the exercise of the Warrants apply for the admission of the Shares issued to AIM. The Company shall use its reasonable endeavours to ensure that such application for admission becomes effective.

 

2.9                               In the event that the N+1 Singer Engagement Letter is terminated in accordance with its terms, the Warrantholder’s entitlement to the Warrants shall continue until the end of the Warrant Period (except to the extent already validly exercised).

 

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3.                                      Allotment of Warrant Shares

 

3.1                               Warrant Shares shall be allotted (subject to admission to trading on AIM) and issued within 14 days of the date of receipt of the Notice of Exercise and receipt of the Subscription Price, and a definitive share certificate shall be issued to the Warrantholder in respect thereof as soon as reasonably practicable after such admission becoming effective. Save for any rights determined by reference to a date preceding the date of allotment, such Shares shall rank pari passu with the other Shares of the same class in issue at the date of allotment.

 

3.2                               The Company shall:

 

(a)                                 enter the allottee’s name(s) in the register of members of the Company as the holder(s) of the relevant Warrant Shares; and

 

(b)                                 despatch at the Company’s cost to the address stipulated by the Warrantholder in the Notice of Exercise, share certificate in respect of the Warrant Shares issued.

 

3.3          Warrant Shares allotted pursuant to the exercise of the Warrants shall:

 

(a)                                 be allotted and issued fully paid;

 

(b)                                 rank pari passu in all respects from the effective date of allotment with the Shares of the Company then in issue;

 

(c)                                  be entitled to all dividends and distributions paid on any date or by reference to any date on or after the date on which the relevant Notice of Exercise is lodged at the Registered Office in accordance with clause 2.5; and

 

(d)                                 otherwise have the rights and privileges prescribed in the Articles.

 

3.4                               No fraction of a share will be issued following exercise of a Warrant and the Company will make payment to the relevant Warrantholder of such sum as the Auditors certify to be the fair value of any fractional entitlement.

 

4.                                      Adjustment

 

4.1                               After any allotment of fully paid Shares by way of capitalisation of the Company’s reserves (other than Shares paid up out of distributable reserves and issued in lieu of a cash dividend) to holders of the Shares on the register on a date (or by reference to a record date) before the end of the Warrant Period or upon any sub-division or consolidation of the Shares or reduction of share capital, the number and/or nominal value of Shares to be subscribed on any subsequent exercise of the Warrants will be increased or, as the case may be, reduced in due proportion and the Subscription Price will be adjusted accordingly, with effect from the record date for such capitalisation, sub-division, consolidation or reduction of capital. On any such capitalisation, sub-division, consolidation or reduction of capital the Auditors shall be requested by the Directors to certify the appropriate adjustments and, within 28 days thereafter, notice thereof will be sent to the Warrantholder.

 

4.2                               If, on a date (or by reference to a record date) before the end of the Warrant Period, the Company makes any offer or invitation (whether by rights issue or otherwise but not being an offer by the Company to purchase its own shares) to the holders of the Shares, or any offer or invitation (not being an offer to which clause 6.2 below applies) is made to all such holders otherwise than by the Company, then the same offer or invitation shall be made to the Warrantholder at the same time as if the Warrants had

 

4

 

been exercised on the day immediately preceding the date, or, as the case may be, the record date of such offer or invitation. In the event of any such offer or invitation the Subscription Price shall be adjusted in such manner as the Auditors shall certify to be fair and reasonable. Any such adjustment shall become effective as at the record date for the offer or invitation. The Company shall give notice to the Warrantholder within 28 days of any adjustment made pursuant to this clause 4.2.

 

4.3                               If on a date (or by reference to a record date) before the end of the Warrant Period, the Company pays a special dividend following a disposal of all or a substantial proportion of its business or assets, the Subscription Price will be adjusted pro rata to the reduction in the net asset value of the Company following the payment of such special dividend. On any payment of such special dividend the Auditors shall be requested by the Directors to certify the appropriate adjustments and, within 28 days thereafter, notice thereof will be sent to the Warrantholder.

 

4.4                               Any report or confirmation made pursuant to this Instrument by the Auditors shall be made by them as experts and not as arbitrators and the determination of the Auditors pursuant to clauses 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 shall, save in the case of manifest error, be binding on the Warrantholder and the Company. The costs of the Auditors appointed pursuant to this clause 4 shall be borne by the Company.

 

5.                                      Warranties

 

The Company warrants that as at the date of this Instrument it has the power to grant the Warrants without any further sanction or consent by members of the Company or any other person and any Warrant Shares (allotted on exercise of any Warrants) shall be allotted to the Warrantholder free from any and all Encumbrances.

 

6.                                      Other Provisions

 

6.1                               The Company shall keep available for issue sufficient authorised but unissued share capital to satisfy in full the Warrants to the extent they remain exercisable and the Company shall not make any allotment of fully paid Shares by way of capitalisation of profits or reserves unless at the date of such allotment the Directors have authority and power to grant the additional subscription rights to subscribe for Shares to which the Warrantholder will by virtue of clause 4.1 above be entitled in consequence of such capitalisation.

 

6.2                               If at any time an offer is made to all holders of Shares (or all such holders other than the offeror and/or any company controlled by the offeror and/or persons acting in concert with the offeror) to acquire the whole or any part of the issued ordinary share capital of the Company (including but not limited to the publication of a scheme of arrangement or merger providing for the acquisition by any person of the whole or any part of this Company’s issued share capital) and the Company becomes aware that as a result of such offer the right to cast more than 50% (a majority) of the votes which may ordinarily be cast on a poll at a general meeting of the Company has or will become vested in the offeror and/or such persons or companies as aforesaid (a “Change in Control”), the Company shall give notice to the Warrantholder of such vesting or prospective vesting within 14 days of its becoming so aware.

 

6.3                               If an order is made or an effective resolution is passed for winding up the Company (except for the purpose of reconstruction, amalgamation, merger or unitisation on terms sanctioned by the Warrantholder and including the grant to the Warrantholder of substituted warrants over shares of the reconstituted, amalgamated, merged or unitised entity equal to the value of the Warrants immediately prior to such reconstruction, amalgamation, merger or unitisation), the Warrantholder shall (if, in

 

5

 

such winding up and on the basis that all rights to subscribe for shares in the Company then unexercised had been exercised in full and the subscription moneys therefor had been received in full by the Company, there would be a surplus available for distribution amongst the holders of the Shares which, on such basis, would exceed in respect of each Share a sum equal to the Subscription Price) be treated as if immediately before the date of such order or resolution the Warrants had been exercised in full (subject to any adjustment pursuant to clause 4 above), and shall accordingly be entitled to receive out of the assets available in the liquidation pari passu with the holders of the Shares such sum as it would have received had it exercised the Warrants in full and become the holder of the Shares to which it would have become entitled by virtue of such exercise of the Warrants after deducting a sum per Share equal to the Subscription Price. Subject to the foregoing the Warrants shall lapse on liquidation of the Company.

 

6.4                               The Company undertakes to the Warrantholder that while the Warrants remains capable of being exercised it will not create or issue any new class of equity share capital which in any respect ranks in priority to the Shares.

 

7.                                      Rights as Shareholders

 

The Warrantholder shall not be entitled to vote or receive dividends and shall not be deemed a shareholder, nor shall anything contained herein be construed to confirm upon the Warranthlder any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of Directors or upon any matter submitted to the Company’s shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to receive notice of meetings, or to receive dividends or subscription rights or otherwise until the Warrants shall have been exercised and the Shares purchasable upon the exercise thereof shall have been allotted, as provided herein.

 

8.                                      Entitlement to Certificate

 

The Company shall issue a Warrant Certificate to each Warrantholder. Joint Warrantholders will be entitled to one Warrant Certificate only which will be delivered to such joint holder as the Company may select. These conditions shall be endorsed on or attached to the Warrant Certificates.

 

9.                                      Register and Transfer

 

9.1                               The Company will keep a register of the Warrants and Warrantholders at the Registered Office and shall enter on the register:

 

(a)                                 the names and addresses of the Warrantholders;

 

(b)                                 the number of Shares that can be subscribed for by each Warrantholder pursuant to his Warrant;

 

(c)                                  the date on which the name of every such Warrantholder is entered in respect of the Warrant standing in his name;

 

(d)                                 the serial number of each Warrant Certificate issued and its date of the issue; and

 

(e)                                  particulars of all transfers of Warrants.

 

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9.2                               Warrantholders shall notify changes of name or address to the Company who shall alter the register accordingly. The register may be closed by the Company for such periods and at such times as it thinks fit but not for more than 30 days in a year. The Company shall permit Warrantholders to inspect the register at reasonable times during normal office hours.

 

10.                               Warrants Free From Equities

 

Each Warrantholder shall be recognised by the Company as entitled to its Warrant free from any equity, set off or counter-claim by the Company against any previous holder.

 

11.                               Trusts Not Recognised

 

The Company shall recognise the registered holder of any Warrant as the absolute owner of such Warrant and shall not be bound to take notice of any trust to which the Warrant may be subject, and a Warrantholder’s receipt for the Ordinary Shares allotted on the exercise of a Warrant shall be a good discharge to the Company notwithstanding any notice it may have any other interest in or claim to such Warrant. No notice of any trust, express, implied or constructive, shall (except as provided by statute or as required by an order of Court of competent jurisdiction) be entered on the register in respect of any Warrant.

 

12.                               Transfer of Warrants

 

A Warrantholder may transfer a Warrant with the written consent of the Company and he shall remain the owner of the Warrant until the name of the transferee is entered in the Company’s Warrant register. The transfer need not be a deed. Where a Warrantholder transfers part only of the Warrants in a certificate, the old certificate shall be cancelled and a new certificate for the balance of such Warrants issued without charge.

 

13.                               Registration

 

Every transfer of a Warrant must be left at the Registered Office for registration accompanied by the relevant Warrant Certificate and any other evidence as the Directors may require as to the title of the transferor. Transfers which have been registered may be retained by the Company. No fee will be charged for the registration of a transfer. No transfer of Warrants will be registered in respect of which a Notice of Exercise has been lodged.

 

14.                               Transmission

 

Any person becoming entitled to a Warrant(s) on the death or bankruptcy of the Warrantholder shall, on producing such evidence of his title as the Directors reasonably require, be entitled to be registered as the holder. In the case of the death of a joint holder(s) of a Warrant the survivor entered in the register shall be the only person recognised by the Company as having any title to or interest in such Warrant.

 

15.                               Meetings of Warrantholders

 

15.1                        The Company may (and shall on the written request in writing of Warrantholders holding at least one-fifth of the Warrants then outstanding) convene a meeting of the

 

7

 

Warrantholders by at least 14 days’ clear written notice, and such meeting shall have power by an extraordinary resolution (that is to say a resolution passed by a majority consisting of at least seventy-five per cent. of the Warrantholders voting on a show of hands or (if a poll is demanded by the chairman of the meeting or by Warrantholders holding at least three quarters of the Warrants then outstanding and in respect of which notice of conversion has not been given) by a simple majority of the votes given on such poll):

 

(a)                                 to sanction any modification or compromise or any agreement in respect of the rights of the Warrantholders;

 

(b)                                 to assent to any modification of these conditions proposed or agreed to by the Company and to agree to the issue of a supplemental instrument embodying the modification; and

 

(c)                                  to appoint any persons (whether Warrantholders or not) as a committee to represent the interest of the Warrantholders and to confer upon such committee any powers or discretions which the Warrantholders could themselves exercise by an extraordinary resolution.

 

15.2                        A resolution signed by Warrantholders holding at least 75% of the Warrants in issue shall be as valid and effectual as if it had been passed at a meeting of the Warrantholders duly convened and held. Such resolution may be contained in one document or in several documents in like form each signed by one or more of the Warrantholders.

 

16.                               Regulations as to Meetings

 

Any meeting convened for the purpose of these conditions shall be convened, conducted and held in all respects as nearly as possible in the same way as general meetings of the Company, except that:

 

(a)                                 a member of the Company shall not be entitled to notice of or to attend or vote at such meetings unless he is also a Warrantholder;

 

(b)                                 the quorum at such meetings shall (if there is more than one Warrantholder) be two or more persons holding or representing by proxy a majority of the Warrants in issue;

 

(c)                                  if a poll is demanded, a Warrantholder present in person or by proxy shall have one vote in respect of each Warrant held by him;

 

(d)                                 in the case of joint holders the vote of the senior who tenders a vote whether in person or by proxy shall be accepted to the exclusion of the votes of the other joint holders and for this purpose seniority shall be determined by the order in which the names stand in the register of Warrantholders; and

 

(e)                                  a person appointed to act as a proxy need not be a Warrantholder.

 

17.                               Adjournment of Meetings

 

If within half an hour from the time appointed for a meeting a quorum is not present the meeting, if convened at the request of Warrantholders, shall be dissolved and in any other case it shall stand adjourned to such day (being at least 14 but not more than 28 days after the date of the meeting from which such adjournment takes place), time and place as the chairman of the meeting directs and at such adjourned meeting the

 

8

 

Warrantholder(s) present and entitled to vote shall be a quorum. At least seven days’ notice shall be given of such adjourned meeting in the same manner as for an original meeting and such notice shall state that the Warrantholder(s) present at the adjourned meeting will form a quorum.

 

18.                               Replacement of Warrants

 

If a Warrantholder notifies the Company that his Warrant Certificate is mutilated, worn out, defaced, lost, stolen or destroyed and produces to the Company such evidence and indemnity (and the payment of out of pocket expenses of the Company in investigating evidence) as the Directors reasonably require, the Company may cancel it and issue a new certificate in lieu. An entry as to the issue of a new certificate shall be made in the Company’s Warrant register and a record of the indemnity (if any) maintained by the Company.

 

19.                               Modification and Waiver

 

This Instrument and any provision hereof may be amended, changed waived, discharged or terminated only by an instrument in writing signed by both parties.

 

20.                               Illegality

 

If a term of this instrument shall be held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable it shall to that extent be deemed not to form part of this agreement, but the enforceability of the remainder of this deed shall not be affected.

 

21.                               Notices

 

21.1                        Any notices or other communication requiring to be given or served under or in connection with this Instrument shall be in writing and shall be sufficiently given or served if delivered:

 

in the case of the Company to:

 

Address: Verona Pharma Plc, One America Square, Crosswall, London EC3N 2SG

 

Email: jan-anders.karlsson@veronapharma.com

 

Attention: Jan-Anders Karlsson

 

in the case of the Warrantholder:

 

Address: Nplus1Singer Advisory LLP, One, Bartholomew Lane, London EC2N 2AX

 

E-mail: Aubrey.powell@n1sinqer.com

 

Attention: Aubrey Powell

 

21.2                        Any such notice shall be delivered by hand or sent by email or pre-paid first class post or commercial courier and if delivered by email shall conclusively be deemed to have been given or served at the time of printout of a transmission report showing that the email has been sent without error, if sent by pre-paid first class post shall conclusively be deemed to have been received 48 hours after the time of posting if posted in the UK for UK delivery and on the seventh day after the day of posting if posted from outside

 

9

 

the UK and if sent by commercial courier shall conclusively be deemed to have been received on the date and at the time of signature of the courier’s delivery receipt.

 

21.3                        In respect of joint holdings all notices shall be given to the join holders first named in the register of the Warrants and notice so given shall be sufficient notice to all the joint holders.

 

22.                               Governing Law and Jurisdiction

 

22.1                        This Instrument and the Warrants and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them or their subject matter or formation (including non-contractual disputes or claims) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of England and Wales.

 

22.2                        The parties hereto irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of England with respect to any dispute or claim related to this Instrument and the Warrants (including non-contractual disputes or claims).

 

This Instrument has been duly executed and delivered as a deed and takes effect on the date shown at the beginning of this Instrument.

 

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EXECUTION PAGE

 

	
EXECUTED   by
    	
)
    
	
VERONA   PHARMA PLC
    	
)
    
	
acting by a   director
    	
)
    
	
in the presence   of:
    	
JA Karlsson
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
/s/ Paula Siu
    	
 
    	
Director
    	
Jan-Anders Karlsson
    
	
Witness   signature:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Paula Siu
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Witness name:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
3 Nocone London   SEI 2RE,
    	
 
    
	
Witness address:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
EXECUTED   by NPLUS1 SINGER
    	
)
    
	
ADVISORY   LLP
    	
)
    
	
acting by:
    	
)
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Member
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Member
    	
 
    
						

 

11

 

SCHEDULE

 

Form of Warrant Certificate

 

Certificate no:

 

VERONA PHARMA PLC

 

(Incorporated under the Companies Acts 1985 with registered number 5375156)

 

WARRANT to subscribe for ordinary shares of 0.1 pence each in Verona Pharma plc (the “Shares”) pursuant to an instrument executed by Verona Pharma plc on [·] 2016 (the “Instrument”).

 

	
Certificate no:
    	
[·]
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Date of issue:
    	
[·]
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Number of Shares
    	
[·]
    

 

THIS IS TO CERTIFY that NPIus1 Singer Advisory LLP

 

of One, Bartholomew Lane, London, EC2N 2AX

 

is entitled to subscribe in cash for Ordinary Shares at a warrant subscription price of [2.2/3.5] pence (the “Warrant Subscription Price”) at any time between and including the date of issue of this certificate and 5 August 2018 subject to the articles of association of the Company and otherwise on the terms and conditions set out in the Instrument.

 

This deed has been entered into and delivered on the date of issue.

 

	
SIGNED   by
    	
)
    
	
on behalf of VERONA PHARMA PLC
    	
)
    
	
in the presence   of:
    	
)
    

 

	
 
    	
 
    
	
Witness signature:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Witness name:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Witness address:
    	
 
    

 

The Company will only register an exercise of a subscription right to the Shares represented by this certificate on production of this warrant certificate.

 

12

 

NOTICE OF EXERCISE

 

To: Verona Pharma plc (the “Company”)

 

We, the registered holders of this Warrant Certificate give notice of our wish to exercise our Warrant in respect of [·] Warrant Shares and to subscribe for such Warrant Shares.

 

We enclose our cheque for £[·] in favour of the Company, being payment at the Warrant Subscription Price for the Shares for which we now wish to subscribe.

 

PART A

 

We agree to accept the Shares in the Company for which we have subscribed subject to the articles of association of the Company. Please register them in our names.

 

PART B

 

We authorise and direct you to allot [·] Shares to be allotted and issued to the person(s) who is/are named in and who has/have signed the acceptance(s) in the form(s) of nomination attached to this Warrant Certificate.

 

PART C

 

We authorise the despatch of (a) a certificate in respect of the Shares in the Company to be allotted to us, and (b) a Warrant Certificate in our name(s) for any balance of our unexercised subscription rights to the Shares to us by post at our risk to

 

	
Name
    	
 
    	
 
    	
Signature(s) of   holder(s)
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Address
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
					

 

Note: If this space is left blank the share certificate and warrant certificate (if any) will be sent by post at the risk of the person(s) entitled to it to the registered address of the (first-named) holder.

 

In the case of joint holdings all holders must sign. In the case of a corporation, this form must be executed as a deed or under the hand of a duly authorised officer or attorney of the corporation.

 

DATED [           ] 2016

 

Please complete and/or delete as appropriate

 

If you wish to nominate some other person(s) as the allottee(s) of the Shares, you should apply to the the Company Secretary for the appropriate form(s) of nomination which must be completed and lodged with this warrant certificate.

 

13Exhibit 10.1

 

Execution Version

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

dated as of

 

July 29, 2016

 

among

 

VERONA PHARMA PLC

 

and

 

THE INVESTORS PARTY HERETO

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
Page
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Article I   Definitions
    	
 
    	
1
    
	
Section 1.01
    	
Definitions
    	
 
    	
1
    
	
Section 1.02
    	
Other Definitional and Interpretative Provisions
    	
 
    	
5
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Article II   Registration Rights 
    	
 
    	
5
    
	
Section 2.01
    	
Shelf Registration and Registration Procedures
    	
 
    	
5
    
	
Section 2.02
    	
Rule 144 Sales; Cooperation by the Company
    	
 
    	
8
    
	
Section 2.03
    	
Conversions of Ordinary Shares into ADSs
    	
 
    	
9
    
	
Section 2.04
    	
Obligation to Register ADSs
    	
 
    	
9
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Article III   Public Offering 
    	
 
    	
9
    
	
Section 3.01
    	
Participation in Public Offering
    	
 
    	
9
    
	
Section 3.02
    	
Other Agreements of Investors
    	
 
    	
10
    
	
Section 3.03
    	
Underwriting of Public Offering
    	
 
    	
10
    
	
Section 3.04
    	
Inspection of the Company Records
    	
 
    	
11
    
	
Section 3.05
    	
The Company’s Participation in Road Shows
    	
 
    	
11
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Article IV   Indemnification and Contribution
    	
 
    	
12
    
	
Section 4.01
    	
Indemnification by the Company
    	
 
    	
12
    
	
Section 4.02
    	
Indemnification by Participating Investors
    	
 
    	
12
    
	
Section 4.03
    	
Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings
    	
 
    	
13
    
	
Section 4.04
    	
Survival
    	
 
    	
13
    
	
Section 4.05
    	
Contribution
    	
 
    	
13
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Article V   Miscellaneous
    	
 
    	
15
    
	
Section 5.01
    	
Binding Effect; Assignability; Benefit
    	
 
    	
15
    
	
Section 5.02
    	
Notices
    	
 
    	
15
    
	
Section 5.03
    	
Waiver; Amendment; Termination
    	
 
    	
16
    
	
Section 5.04
    	
Governing Law
    	
 
    	
17
    
	
Section 5.05
    	
Jurisdiction
    	
 
    	
17
    
	
Section 5.06
    	
WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL
    	
 
    	
17
    
	
Section 5.07
    	
Specific Enforcement
    	
 
    	
17
    
	
Section 5.08
    	
Counterparts; Effectiveness
    	
 
    	
17
    
	
Section 5.09
    	
Entire Agreement
    	
 
    	
18
    
	
Section 5.10
    	
Severability
    	
 
    	
18
    
	
Section 5.11
    	
Confidentiality
    	
 
    	
18
    
	
Section 5.12
    	
Independent Nature of Investors’ Obligations and   Rights
    	
 
    	
18
    

 

Exhibit A — Joinder Agreement

 

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT dated as of July 29, 2016 (this “Agreement”) by and among Verona Pharma plc, a company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales (registered number 05375156) (the “Company”), and the investors listed on the signature pages hereto, as well as any Permitted Transferees (as defined below).

 

W I T N E S S E T H :

 

WHEREAS, the Company and certain Investors are parties to that certain Securities Purchase Agreement dated as of June 17, 2016 (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”), pursuant to which, among other things, the Company agreed to offer and sell and the Investors agreed to purchase an aggregate 1,555,796,345 Units (each, a “Unit” and collectively, the “Units”) of the Company, with each Unit consisting of one Ordinary Share and one Warrant (the “Private Placement”); and

 

WHEREAS, concurrent with the Private Placement, the Company is undertaking a placing (the “Offshore Offering” and, together with the Private Placement, the “Offerings”) of Units pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants and agreements contained herein, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.01          Definitions.  (a) As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the following meanings:

 

“ADSs” means American depositary shares, representing Ordinary Shares pursuant to a sponsored ADR facility.

 

“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person; provided that no security holder of the Company shall be deemed an Affiliate of the Company or any other security holder of the Company solely by reason of any investment in the Company or the existence or exercise of any rights or obligations under this Agreement or the Registrable Securities held by such security holder.  For the purpose of this definition, the term “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlling”, “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to Novo A/S, in lieu of the above definition, the term Affiliate shall mean Novo Ventures (US) Inc. (together with Novo A/S, “Novo”), or any venture capital fund or other Person now or hereafter existing formed for the purpose of making investments in other Persons that is controlled by or under common control with Novo, and for the avoidance of doubt, shall not include any other affiliate of Novo.

 

 

“AIM” means a market of that name operated by the London Stock Exchange plc.

 

“Business Day” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City or the City of London, United Kingdom, are authorized by law to close.

 

“Exchange Act” means 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.

 

“FINRA” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

 

“Foreign Private Issuer” means a “foreign private issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

“Investor” means at any time, any Person (other than the Company) who shall then be a party to or bound by this Agreement, so long as such Person shall “beneficially own” (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act) any Registrable Securities.

 

“IPO” means the Company’s first underwritten public offering in the United States of America of equity securities pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under the Securities Act (other than a registration (i) pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (or any other registration solely relating to an offering or sale to employees or directors of the Company pursuant to an employee stock plan or other similar employee benefit arrangement), (ii) pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-4 or Form F-4 (or similar form), or (iii) in connection with any dividend or distribution reinvestment or similar plan).

 

“IPO Lock-up Period” means the period ending on the earlier of one hundred eighty (180) days after the effective date of the Company’s registration statement in connection with the IPO or such other date as the Company and the lead underwriter shall agree.

 

“Ordinary Shares” means ordinary shares of one thousandth of a pound Sterling (£0.001) each in the Company, and any shares into which such Ordinary Shares may thereafter be converted or changed.

 

“Permitted Transferee” means in the case of any Investor, a Person to whom Registrable Securities are Transferred by such Investor in accordance with Section 5.01(b); provided that (i) such transfer does not violate any agreements between such Investor and the Company or any of the Company’s subsidiaries, (ii) such transfer is not made in a registered offering or pursuant to Rule 144 and (iii) such transferee shall only be a Permitted Transferee if and to the extent the transferor designates the transferee as a Permitted Transferee entitled to rights hereunder pursuant to Section 5.01(b).

 

“Person” means an individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association, trust or other entity or organization, including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof.

 

2

 

“prospectus” means the prospectus or prospectuses included in any registration statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance on Rule 430A under the Securities Act or any successor rule thereto), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement and by all other amendments and supplements to the prospectus, including post-effective amendments and all material incorporated by reference in such prospectus or prospectuses.

 

“Public Offering” means an underwritten public offering of Registrable Securities of the Company pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act.

 

“Registrable Securities” means with respect to any Investor, Ordinary Shares owned, either of record or beneficially, by such Investor that were (a) received by such Investor in the Offerings, including Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of Warrants or conversion of Non-voting Ordinary Shares, (b) any Ordinary Shares issued to the Investors in a private placement that is completed concurrently with the closing of the Company’s IPO, (c) any other securities issued or issuable in respect of such Ordinary Shares by way of conversion, exchange, share dividend, split, combination, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, other reorganization or otherwise and (d) any ADSs issued in respect of any Ordinary Shares described in clauses (a), (b) or (c) (it being understood that, for purposes of this Agreement, a Person shall be deemed to be a holder of Registrable Securities whenever such Person has the right to then acquire or obtain from the Company any Registrable Securities, whether or not such acquisition has been effected), until all such Ordinary Shares or ADSs, as applicable, (i) have been disposed of pursuant to a registration statement covering such Ordinary Shares or ADSs, as applicable,  that has been declared effective by the SEC, (ii) have (with respect to Ordinary Shares) been sold through the AIM market; (iii) have ceased to be outstanding, (iv) have been sold under circumstances in which all of the applicable conditions of Rule 144 (or any similar provisions then in force) under the Securities Act are met, or (v) are eligible for sale by the holder thereof without limitations as to volume or manner of sale pursuant to Rule 144.

 

“Registration Expenses” means any and all expenses incident to the performance of, or compliance with, any registration or marketing of Registrable Securities, including all (i) registration and filing fees, and all other fees and expenses payable in connection with the listing of securities on any securities exchange or automated interdealer quotation system, (ii) fees and expenses of compliance with any securities or “blue sky” laws (including reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel in connection with “blue sky” qualifications of the securities registered), (iii) expenses in connection with the preparation, printing, mailing and delivery of any registration statements, prospectuses and other documents in connection therewith and any amendments or supplements thereto, (iv) security engraving and printing expenses, (v) internal expenses of the Company (including all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), (vi) reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and customary fees and expenses for independent certified public accountants retained by the Company (including the expenses relating to any comfort letters or costs associated with the delivery by independent certified public accountants of any comfort letters requested pursuant to Section 3.03(b)), (vii) reasonable fees and expenses of any special experts retained by the Company in connection with such registration, (viii) fees

 

3

 

and expenses in connection with any review by FINRA of the underwriting arrangements or other terms of the offering, and all fees and expenses of any “qualified independent underwriter,” including the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of any counsel thereto, (ix) fees and disbursements of underwriters customarily paid by issuers or sellers of securities, but excluding Selling Expenses, (x) transfer agents’ and registrars’ fees and expenses and the fees and expenses of any other agent or trustee appointed in connection with such offering, (xi) expenses relating to any analyst or investor presentations or any “road shows” undertaken in connection with the registration, marketing or selling of the Registrable Securities, (xii) all out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by the Company or its appropriate officers in connection with their compliance with Section 3.05 and (ix) reasonable fees and expenses of one (1) legal counsel for the Investors selected by the majority-in-interest of the Investors participating in such registration, such expenses not to exceed US$100,000.  Registration Expenses shall not include any out-of-pocket expenses of the Investors (or the agents who manage their accounts), except as provided above in (ix).

 

“registration statement” means any registration statement of the Company including the prospectus, amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, all exhibits and all material incorporated by reference in such registration statement.

 

“Rule 144” means Rule 144 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 SEC.

 

“SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any other federal agency at the time administering the federal securities laws.

 

“Securities Act” means 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.

 

“Selling Expenses” shall mean, collectively, any selling commission, discounts or brokerage fees and stock transfer taxes applicable to the sale of Registrable Securities.

 

“Transfer” means, with respect to any Registrable Securities, (i) when used as a verb, to sell, assign, dispose of, exchange, pledge, encumber, hypothecate or otherwise transfer such Registrable Securities or any participation or interest therein, whether directly or indirectly (including pursuant to a derivative transaction), or agree or commit to do any of the foregoing and (ii) when used as a noun, a direct or indirect sale, assignment, disposition, exchange, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation, or other transfer of such Registrable Securities or any participation or interest therein or any agreement or commitment to do any of the foregoing.

 

“Warrants” means the warrants issued by the Company in the Offerings.

 

(b)           Each of the following terms is defined in the Section set forth opposite such term:

 

4

 

	
Term
    	
 
    	
Section
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Agreement
    	
 
    	
Preamble
    
	
Company
    	
 
    	
Preamble
    
	
Damages
    	
 
    	
4.01
    
	
Indemnified Party
    	
 
    	
4.03
    
	
Indemnifying Party
    	
 
    	
4.03
    
	
Inspectors
    	
 
    	
3.04
    
	
Joinder Agreement
    	
 
    	
5.01(b)
    
	
Notice
    	
 
    	
5.02
    
	
Offering
    	
 
    	
Preamble
    
	
Records
    	
 
    	
3.04
    
	
Securities Purchase Agreement
    	
 
    	
Preamble
    
	
Shelf Registration
    	
 
    	
2.01
    
	
Suspension Period
    	
 
    	
2.01(e)
    

 

Section 1.02          Other Definitional and Interpretative Provisions. The words “hereof”, “herein” and “hereunder” and words of like import used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement.  The captions herein are included for convenience of reference only and shall be ignored in the construction or interpretation hereof.  References to Articles, Sections or Exhibits are to Articles, Sections and Exhibits of this Agreement unless otherwise specified.  All Exhibits annexed hereto or referred to herein are hereby incorporated in and made a part of this Agreement as if set forth in full herein.  Any capitalized term used in any Exhibit but not otherwise defined therein shall have the meaning as defined in this Agreement.  Any singular term in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the plural, and any plural term the singular.  Whenever the words “include”, “includes” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”, whether or not they are in fact followed by those words or words of like import.  “Writing”, “written” and comparable terms refer to printing, typing and other means of reproducing words (including electronic media) in a visible form.  References to any agreement or contract are to that agreement or contract as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof.  References to any law include all laws and regulations promulgated thereunder.  References to any Person include the successors and permitted assigns of that Person.  References from or through any date mean, unless otherwise specified, from and including or through and including, respectively.  At any time the Company is not a Foreign Private Issuer, any references in this Agreement to a form or filing that may be made by a Foreign Private Issuer shall be deemed to be references to the corresponding form or filing that may be made by an entity that is not a Foreign Private Issuer.

 

ARTICLE II

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS

 

Section 2.01          Shelf Registration and Registration Procedures.

 

(a)           Not later than the later of one hundred eighty (180) days after the commencement of the IPO or five business days after the expiration of the IPO Lock-up Period,

 

5

 

which shall be no later than two hundred thirty five (235) days after the commencement of the IPO (the “Commencement Date”), the Company shall (i) file a registration statement covering the resale of all of the Registrable Securities pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act (or any successor or similar rule) (a “Shelf Registration” and the related registration statement, a “Shelf Registration Statement”), (ii) use commercially reasonable efforts to have the registration statement declared effective as promptly as practicable, and (iii) maintain an effective Shelf Registration (or other registration statement as described below) until all Registrable Securities shall have been sold under such Shelf Registration or cease to be Registrable Securities (such period, the “Effectiveness Period”).  The Company shall promptly, and within two (2) Business Days after the Company confirms effectiveness of the Shelf Registration with the SEC, notify the Investors of the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration.  In the event that Form S-3 or Form F-3 is not available for registration of the resale of the Registrable Securities hereunder, the Company shall (x) register the resale of the Registrable Securities on Form S-1 or Form F-1 or another appropriate form and (y) undertake to register the Registrable Securities on Form S-3 or Form F-3 as soon as the use of such form for such purpose is permitted, provided that the Company shall maintain the effectiveness of the registration statement then in effect until such time as the registration statement on Form S-3 or Form F-3 covering the Registrable Securities has been declared effective by the SEC.

 

(b)           Prior to filing a registration statement or prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (other than any report filed pursuant to the Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference therein, any post-effective amendment to incorporate by reference or otherwise include any such report, or any prospectus supplement to reflect changes in the selling stockholder table) the Company shall furnish to each participating Investor and each underwriter, if any, of the Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement copies of such registration statement as proposed to be filed. Such documents shall be subject to the review and comment of one counsel selected by the majority-in-interest of Investors participating in such registration. Thereafter the Company shall furnish to such Investor and underwriter, if any, such number of copies of such registration statement, each amendment and supplement thereto (in each case including all exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein), the prospectus included in such registration statement (including each preliminary prospectus and any summary prospectus) and any other prospectus filed under Rule 424, Rule 430A, Rule 430B or Rule 430C under the Securities Act and such other documents as such Investor or underwriter may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Investor.

 

(c)           The Company shall respond to written comments received from the SEC upon a review of any registration statement in a timely manner.

 

(d)           After the filing of the registration statement, the Company shall (i) cause the related prospectus to be supplemented by any required prospectus supplement, and, as so supplemented, to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, including as may be necessary to keep such registration statement effective and current, (ii) comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement during the applicable period in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the Investors thereof set forth in such registration statement or supplement to such prospectus and (iii) promptly notify each Investor holding Registrable

 

6

 

Securities covered by such registration statement of any stop order issued or threatened by the SEC or any state securities commission and take reasonable best efforts to prevent the entry of such stop order or to cause it to be promptly removed if entered.

 

(e)           The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to (i) register or 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 any Investor holding such Registrable Securities reasonably (in light of such Investor’s intended plan of distribution) requests and (ii) cause such Registrable Securities to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary by virtue of the business and operations of the Company and do any and all other acts and things that may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable such Investor to consummate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Investor; provided that the Company shall not be required to (A) qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this Section 2.01(d), (B) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction, unless the Company is already subject to taxation in such jurisdiction or (C) consent to general service of process in any such jurisdiction, unless the Company is already subject to service in such jurisdiction, except as required pursuant to the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC.

 

(f)            The Company shall promptly notify each Investor holding such Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement, at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the occurrence of an event requiring the preparation of a supplement or amendment to such prospectus so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such Registrable Securities, such prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and promptly prepare and make available to each such Investor and file with the SEC any such supplement or amendment; provided that upon written notice to each Investor holding such Registrable Securities, the Company shall be entitled to delay the effectiveness of any registration statement or to suspend, on two occasions during any period of 12 consecutive months for a reasonable time specified in the notice but not exceeding in the aggregate 30 days (each, a “Suspension Period”), the use of any registration statement or prospectus if the Company determines in its reasonably good faith judgment, after consultation with counsel that (i) the registration statement or any prospectus may contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit any fact necessary to make the statements in the registration statement or prospectus not misleading, provided, that in such event the Company shall promptly prepare and file a supplement or amendment to such registration statement or prospectus to correct such disclosure or (ii) proceeding with the registration would materially interfere with a significant acquisition, corporate organization or other similar transaction involving the Company, require premature disclosure of material information that the Company has bona fide business purposes for preserving as confidential or render the Company unable to comply with the requirements under the Securities Act or Exchange Act. Notwithstanding the foregoing, until such time as the Company is eligible to register the resale of Registrable Securities on Form S-3 or Form F-3, the Company shall be permitted to effect a Suspension Period to file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement at any time that the Company files a report under the Exchange Act; provided, that the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to file such post-effective amendment and have the registration statement declared effective as promptly as practicable.

 

7

 

(g)           The Company shall use best efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement or such other document covering a period of 12 months, beginning within three months after the effective date of the registration statement, which earnings statement satisfies the requirements of Rule 158 under the Securities Act.

 

(h)           The Company may require each Investor promptly to furnish in writing to the Company such information regarding the distribution of the Registrable Securities as the Company may reasonably request for inclusion in the registration statement (and the prospectus included therein) as is necessary to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC (the “Investor Information”), and that it will promptly notify the Company of any material changes in the information set forth in the registration statement furnished by or regarding the Investor or its plan of distribution.

 

(i)            Each Investor agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 2.01(e), such Investor shall forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to the registration statement covering such Registrable Securities until such Investor’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 2.01(e), and, if so directed by the Company, such Investor shall deliver to the Company all copies, other than any permanent file copies then in such Investor’s possession, of the most recent prospectus covering such Registrable Securities at the time of receipt of such notice.

 

(j)            Each Investor agrees that, in connection with any offering pursuant to this Agreement, it will not prepare or use or refer to, any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act) without the prior written authorization of the Company, and will not distribute any written materials in connection with the offer or sale of the Registrable Securities pursuant to any Public Offering conducted hereunder other than the prospectus and any such free writing prospectus so authorized.

 

(k)           The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to list all Registrable Securities on any securities exchange or quotation system on which any of the Registrable Securities are then listed or traded.

 

(l)            The Company shall be liable for and pay all Registration Expenses incurred in connection with a registration statement pursuant to this Agreement, other than Selling Expenses.  Selling Expenses shall be borne by the respective Investors on behalf of which the Selling Expenses have been incurred, in proportion to the respective number of shares of Registrable Securities sold by each of them.

 

(m)          The Company shall not agree to name any Investor as an “underwriter” in any registration statement registering Registrable Securities without the prior written consent of such Investor. In addition, any registration statement registering Registrable Securities shall include a plan of distribution reasonably acceptable to the Investors.

 

Section 2.02          Rule 144 Sales; Cooperation by the Company.  With a view to making available to the Investors the benefits of Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act and any

 

8

 

other rule or regulation of the SEC that may at any time permit the Investors to sell Registrable Securities to the public without registration, the Company agrees to use commercially reasonable 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 SEC in a timely manner all reports and other documents required of the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act; and

 

(c)           furnish to each Investor forthwith upon request a written statement by the Company as to its compliance with the reporting requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Company, and such other information as such Investor may reasonably request in order to avail itself of any rule or regulation of the SEC allowing such Investor to sell any Registrable Securities without registration.

 

Section 2.03          Conversions of Ordinary Shares into ADSs.  To the extent that the Company causes ADSs to be issued in the IPO, following the IPO and as requested by the Investors, the Company will deposit Ordinary Shares held by the Investors from time to time with the ADS depositary and cause the ADS depositary to issue ADSs to the Investors upon deposit of such Ordinary Shares, provided that the Company shall not be required to deposit such Ordinary Shares in exchange for ADSs (a) on or prior to the date that is six (6) months from the date of the final prospectus for the IPO except in compliance with the Securities Act, (b) at any time at which to do so would violate obligations under any underwriter’s lock-up agreement entered into in connection with the IPO.  The Company will pay reasonable expenses of the Investors related to the issuance of ADSs upon exchange of Ordinary Shares for ADSs.

 

Section 2.04          Obligation to Register ADSs.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, unless the Company has previously caused the Ordinary Shares to be listed on a national securities exchange or trading system in the United States (it being acknowledged that the Company shall have no obligation to so list the Ordinary Shares) and a market in the United States for Ordinary Shares not held in the form of ADSs exists, in any registration pursuant to Section 2.01 or Section 2.03 any Registrable Securities registered and sold pursuant thereto shall be in the form of ADSs.

 

ARTICLE III

 

PUBLIC OFFERING

 

Section 3.01          Participation in Public Offering.  At any time after the Commencement Date, if the Company receives a request from an Investor or group of Investors, in each case holding a majority of the Registrable Securities (as determined on a fully-diluted basis) that the Company effect a Public Offering, then the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to promptly prepare a prospectus or a prospectus supplement to effect such Public Offering; provided that (i) the Company shall only be required to effectuate one Public Offering within any one-year period and (ii) the Company shall not be obligated to effect a Public Offering unless the

 

9

 

aggregate proceeds expected to be received from the sale of the Registrable Securities requested to be included in such Public Offering equals or exceeds $7,500,000.  The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to give notice of such Public Offering at least ten (10) Business Days prior to the anticipated filing date of the prospectus or prospectus supplement relating to such Public Offering to the other Investors who hold Registrable Securities at such time.  Such other Investors may, upon notice received by the Company no later than five (5) Business Days after the date of notice of a Public Offering, request that the Company also include all or any portion of such other Investors’ Registrable Securities.  Thereafter, the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to effect the Public Offering of all Registrable Securities requested to be included (in accordance with the methods thereof as aforesaid).  Subject to Section 3.03(b), the Company shall be permitted to include any securities other than the Registrable Securities (including for the benefit of Persons not party to this Agreement) as part of any such Public Offering.

 

Section 3.02          Other Agreements of Investors.  No Investor may participate in any Public Offering hereunder unless such Investor (i) agrees to sell such Investor’s Registrable Securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements (in customary form) approved by the Company and (ii) completes and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements, lock up agreements and other documents reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements and the provisions of this Agreement in respect of registration rights within the specified timelines.

 

Section 3.03          Underwriting of Public Offering.  In connection with any Public Offering, the Company shall enter into customary agreements (including an underwriting agreement in customary form) and take such all other actions as are reasonably required in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities in any such Public Offering.

 

(a)           In connection with any Public Offering, if required, the Company shall furnish to each underwriter, if any, a signed counterpart, addressed to such underwriter, of (i) an opinion or opinions of counsel to the Company and (ii) a comfort letter or comfort letters from the Company’s independent public accountants, each in customary form and covering such matters of the kind customarily covered by opinions or comfort letters, as the case may be, as the managing underwriter therefor reasonably requests.

 

(b)           If the total amount of securities to be sold in any Public Offering in which the Investors are participating 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 and securities other than the Registrable Securities that the underwriters and the Company determine in their sole discretion shall not jeopardize the success of the offering.  If the Investors determine to include any Registrable Securities in any such Public Offering, other than a Public Offering initiated by the Company, the number of securities that are entitled to be included in the registration and underwriting shall be allocated in the following manner: (i) first, securities other than the Registrable Securities requested to be included in such offering (including any securities that the Company proposes to register and sell for its own account) shall be excluded (as may be allocated pursuant to any agreement between holders of any such securities other than the Company) and (ii) second, Registrable Securities requested to be included in such offering by the

 

10

 

Investors shall be excluded on a pro rata basis based on the number of securities requested to be included.  If the Investors determine to include any Registrable Securities in any such Public Offering initiated by the Company, the number of securities that are entitled to be included in the registration and underwriting shall be allocated in the following manner: (i) first, securities other than the Registrable Securities requested to be included in such offering by Persons other than the Company shall be excluded on a pro rata basis based on the number of such securities requested to be included, (ii) second, Registrable Securities requested to be included in such offering by the Investors shall be excluded on a pro rata basis based on the number of such securities requested to be included and (iii) third, securities proposed to be registered and sold for the account of the Company shall be excluded.  To facilitate the allocation of securities in accordance with the above provisions, the Company or the underwriters may round down the number of securities allocated to any selling holder (including each Investor) to the nearest 100.

 

Section 3.04          Inspection of the Company Records.  Upon execution of confidentiality agreements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company, the Company shall, in connection with a Public Offering, make available for inspection by any underwriter participating in such Public Offering and any attorney, accountant or other professional (the retention of which is reasonable under the circumstances) retained by any such underwriter (collectively, the “Inspectors”), all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company (collectively, the “Records”) as shall be reasonably necessary or desirable to enable any of the Inspectors to exercise its due diligence responsibility and in accordance with applicable law, and cause the Company’s officers, directors and employees to supply all information reasonably requested by any Inspectors in connection with such Public Offering and in accordance with applicable law.  Records that the Company determines in good faith to be confidential and that it notifies the Inspectors are confidential shall not be disclosed by the Inspectors unless (i) the disclosure of such Records is necessary to avoid or correct a material misstatement or omission in the registration statement related to such Public Offering or (ii) the release of such Records is ordered pursuant to a subpoena or other order from a court of competent jurisdiction.  Each Investor agrees that information obtained by it as a result of such inspections shall be deemed confidential and shall not be used by it or its Affiliates as the basis for any market transactions in the Ordinary Shares, ADSs or other securities of the Company unless and until such information is made generally available to the public.  Each Investor further agrees that, upon learning that disclosure of such Records is sought in a court of competent jurisdiction, it shall give notice to the Company and allow the Company, at its expense, to undertake appropriate action to prevent disclosure of the Records deemed confidential.

 

Section 3.05          The Company’s Participation in Road Shows.  In connection with any Public Offering, the Company shall have appropriate officers of the Company (i) prepare and make presentations at any “road shows” and before analysts and (ii) otherwise use commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate as reasonably requested by the underwriters in the offering, marketing or selling of the Registrable Securities.

 

11

 

ARTICLE IV

 

INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION

 

Section 4.01          Indemnification by the Company.  The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Investor beneficially owning any Registrable Securities covered by a registration statement, its officers, directors, partners, managers, members, investment managers, affiliates, agents, representatives and employees, and each Person, if any, who controls such Investor within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including reasonable and documented expenses of investigation and reasonable and documented attorneys’ fees and expenses) (collectively, “Damages”) caused by or relating to (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (or incorporated by reference in) any registration statement or prospectus relating to the Registrable Securities (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) or any preliminary prospectus or free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act), or any filing under any state securities (or blue sky) laws, (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, except insofar as such Damages are caused by or related to any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission so made based upon information furnished in writing to the Company by such Investor or on such Investor’s behalf expressly for use therein.  The Company also agrees to indemnify any underwriters of the Registrable Securities, their officers and directors and each Person who controls such underwriters within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act on substantially the same basis as that of the indemnification of the Investors provided in this Section 4.01.

 

Section 4.02          Indemnification by Participating Investors.  Each Investor holding Registrable Securities covered by a registration statement agrees, severally but not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its officers, directors and agents and each Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from any Damages caused by or relating to (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (or incorporated by reference in) any registration statement or prospectus relating to the Registrable Securities (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto) or any preliminary prospectus or free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act), or any filing under any state securities (or blue sky) laws, (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, but only in each case with respect to information furnished in writing by such Investor or on such Investor’s behalf expressly for use in any registration statement or prospectus relating to the Registrable Securities, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any preliminary prospectus.  Each such Investor also agrees to indemnify and hold harmless underwriters of the Registrable Securities, their officers and directors and each Person who controls such underwriters within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act on substantially the same basis as that of the

 

12

 

indemnification of the Company provided in this Section 4.02.  As a condition to including Registrable Securities in any registration statement filed in accordance with Article 2, the Company may require that it shall have received an undertaking reasonably satisfactory to it from any underwriter to indemnify and hold it harmless to the extent customarily provided by underwriters with respect to similar securities.  No Investor shall be liable under this Section 4.02 for any Damages in excess of the net proceeds realized by such Investor in the sale of Registrable Securities of such Investor to which such Damages relate.

 

Section 4.03          Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings.  If any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be brought or asserted against any Person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 4.01 or 4.02, such Person (an “Indemnified Party”) shall promptly notify the Person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “Indemnifying Party”) in writing and the Indemnifying Party shall assume the defense thereof, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party, and shall assume the payment of all reasonable and documented fees and expenses, provided that the failure of any Indemnified Party so to notify the Indemnifying Party shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations hereunder except to the extent that the Indemnifying Party is materially prejudiced by such failure to notify.  In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party unless (a) the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (b) in the reasonable judgment of such Indemnified Party representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them.  It is understood that, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, the Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to one local counsel per jurisdiction) at any time for all such Indemnified Parties.  In the case of any such separate firm for the Indemnified Parties, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Indemnified Parties.  The Indemnifying Party 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 shall indemnify and hold harmless such Indemnified Parties from and against any loss or liability (to the extent stated above) by reason of such settlement or judgment.  Without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, no Indemnifying Party shall effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability arising out of such proceeding.

 

Section 4.04          Survival.  Unless otherwise superseded by an underwriting agreement entered into in connection with an underwritten public offering, the obligations of the Company and the Investors under Section 4.01 and Section 4.02, respectively, shall survive the completion of any offering of Registrable Securities in a registration statement under this Agreement or otherwise.

 

Section 4.05          Contribution.  (a) If the indemnification provided for in Section 4.01 or 4.02 is unavailable to the Indemnified Parties in respect of any Damages, then each Indemnifying

 

13

 

Party, in lieu of indemnifying the Indemnified Parties, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such Damages:

 

(i)            as between the Company and the Investors holding Registrable Securities covered by a registration statement on the one hand and the underwriters on the other, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and such Investors on the one hand and the underwriters on the other, from the offering of the Registrable Securities, or if such allocation is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company and such Investors on the one hand and of such underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such Damages, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations; and

 

(ii)           as between the Company on the one hand and each such Investor on the other, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Company and of each such Investor in connection with such statements or omissions, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

 

The relative benefits received by the Company and such Investors on the one hand and such underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total proceeds from the offering (net of underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting expenses) received by the Company and such Investors bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the applicable prospectus or prospectus supplement.  The relative fault of the Company and such Investors on the one hand and of such underwriters on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company and such Investors or by such underwriters.  The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of each such Investor on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by such party, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 

(b)           The Company and the Investors agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 4.05 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph.  The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Party as a result of the Damages referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 4.05, no underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Registrable Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any Damages that such underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission, and no

 

14

 

Investor shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Registrable Securities of such Investor were offered to the public (less underwriters’ discounts and commissions) exceeds the amount of any Damages that such Investor has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.  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.  Each Investor’s obligation to contribute pursuant to this Section 4.05 is several in the proportion that the proceeds of the offering received by such Investor bears to the total proceeds of the offering received by all such Investors and not joint.

 

ARTICLE V

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 5.01          Binding Effect; Assignability; Benefit.  (a) This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective heirs, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns.  Any Investor that ceases to own beneficially any Registrable Securities shall cease to be bound by the terms hereof (other than (i) the provisions of Article 4 applicable to such Investor with respect to any offering of Registrable Securities completed before the date such Investor ceased to own any Registrable Securities and (ii) this Article 5).

 

(a)           Neither this Agreement nor any right, remedy, obligation or liability arising hereunder or by reason hereof shall be assignable by any party hereto pursuant to any Transfer of Registrable Securities or otherwise, except that each Investor may assign all or any portion of its rights hereunder to any Permitted Transferee of such Investor with respect to securities representing not less than twenty percent (20%) of the Registrable Securities held by such Investor as of the date of completion of the IPO; provided, however, that no such minimum assignment requirement shall be necessary for an assignment by an Investor which is (i) a partnership to its partners in accordance with their partnership interests, (ii) a limited liability company to its members in accordance with their interests in the limited liability company, (iii) a corporation to its stockholders in accordance with their interests in the corporation or (iv) to an Affiliate of such Investor.  Any such Permitted Transferee shall (unless already bound hereby) execute and deliver to the Company an agreement to be bound by this Agreement in the form of Exhibit A hereto (a “Joinder Agreement”) and shall thenceforth be a “Investor.”  Any such transfer to a Permitted Transferee must be in compliance with the Securities Act and any other applicable securities “blue sky” laws.

 

(b)           Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, is intended to confer on any Person other than the parties hereto, and their respective heirs, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns, any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

Section 5.02          Notices.  All notices, requests and other communications (each, a “Notice”) to any party shall be in writing and shall be delivered in person, mailed by certified or

 

15

 

registered mail, return receipt requested, or sent by facsimile transmission or email transmission so long as receipt of such email is requested and received:

 

if to the Company to:

 

Verona Pharma PLC

3 More London Riverside

London SE1 2RE

United Kingdom

E-Mail: XXX and XXX

Attention: Jan-Anders Karlsson and Claire Poll

 

with a copy to:

 

Kaye Scholer LLP

Two Palo Alto Square, Suite 400

3000 El Camino Real

Palo Alto, CA 94306-2112

E-mail: XXX

Attention: Nicholas O’Keefe

 

if to any Investor, at the address for such Investor listed on the signature pages below or otherwise provided to the Company as set forth below.

 

Any Notice shall be deemed received on the date of receipt by the recipient thereof if received prior to 5:00 p.m. in the place of receipt and such day is a Business Day in the place of receipt.  Otherwise, any such Notice shall be deemed not to have been received until the next succeeding Business Day in the place of receipt.

 

Any Person that becomes an Investor after the date hereof shall provide its address, fax number and email address to the Company.

 

Section 5.03          Waiver; Amendment; Termination.  (a) The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, waived, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given without the written consent of the Company and holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities (as determined on a fully-diluted basis); provided, however, that in no event shall the obligations of any holder of Registrable Securities be materially increased or the rights of any Investor be adversely affected (without similarly adversely affecting the rights of all Investors), except upon the written consent of such holder.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to depart from the provisions hereof with respect to a matter that relates exclusively to the rights of holders of Registrable Securities whose securities are being sold pursuant to a registration statement and that does not directly or indirectly affect the rights of other holders of Registrable Securities may be given by holders of at least a majority of the Registrable Securities being sold by such holders pursuant to such registration statement.

 

16

 

(b)           This Agreement shall terminate upon the earlier to occur of (i) the fifth anniversary of the IPO and (ii) the date on which there are no Registrable Securities.

 

Section 5.04          Governing Law.  This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflicts of laws rules of such state.

 

Section 5.05          Jurisdiction.  The parties hereby agree that any suit, action or proceeding seeking to enforce any provision of, or based on any matter arising out of or in connection with, this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be brought in any state or federal court sitting in The City of New York, Borough of Manhattan, so long as one of such courts shall have subject matter jurisdiction over such suit, action or proceeding, and that any cause of action arising out of this Agreement shall be deemed to have arisen from a transaction of business in the State of New York, and each of the parties hereby irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of such courts (and of the appropriate appellate courts therefrom) in any such suit, action or proceeding and irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding in any such court or that any such suit, action or proceeding which is brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.  Process in any such suit, action or proceeding may be served on any party anywhere in the world, whether within or without the jurisdiction of any such court.  Without limiting the foregoing, each party agrees that service of process on such party as provided in Section 5.02 shall be deemed effective service of process on such party.

 

Section 5.06          WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED 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.

 

Section 5.07          Specific Enforcement.  Each party hereto acknowledges that the remedies at law of the other parties for a breach or threatened breach of this Agreement would be inadequate and, in recognition of this fact, any party to this Agreement, without posting any bond or furnishing other security, and in addition to all other remedies that may be available, shall be entitled to the fullest extent permitted by law to obtain equitable relief in the form of specific performance, a temporary restraining order, a temporary or permanent injunction or any other equitable remedy that may then be available.

 

Section 5.08          Counterparts; Effectiveness.  This Agreement may be executed (including by facsimile or other electronic image scan transmission) with counterpart signature pages or in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and all of which

 

17

 

shall, taken together, be considered one and the same agreement, it being understood that each party need not sign the same counterpart.  This Agreement shall become effective when each party hereto shall have executed and delivered this Agreement.  Until and unless each party has executed and delivered this Agreement, this Agreement shall have no effect and no party shall have any right or obligation hereunder (whether by virtue of any other oral or written agreement or other communication).

 

Section 5.09          Entire Agreement.  This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements and understandings, both oral and written, among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

Section 5.10          Severability.  If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party.  Upon such a determination, the parties shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner so that the transactions contemplated hereby be consummated as originally contemplated to the fullest extent possible.

 

Section 5.11          Confidentiality.

 

(a)           Each Investor agrees that any notice received pursuant to this Agreement, including any notice of a proposed public offering, postponement of an offering or other similar notice regarding the Company’s securities, is confidential information and that any trading in securities of the Company following receipt of such information may only be done in compliance with all applicable securities laws.

 

(b)           Each Investor shall have the right, at any time and from time to time (including after receiving information regarding any potential Public Offering), to elect not to receive any notice that the Company or any other Investor otherwise are required to deliver pursuant to this Agreement by delivering to the Company a written statement signed by such Investor that it does not want to receive any notices hereunder (an “Opt-Out Request”); in which case and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement the Company and other Investors shall not be required to, and shall not, deliver any notice or other information required to be provided to Investors hereunder to the extent that the Company or such other Investors reasonably expect would result in an Investor acquiring material nonpublic information. An Opt-Out Request may state a date on which it expires or, if no such date is specified, shall remain in effect indefinitely.  An Investor who previously has given the Company an Opt-Out Request may revoke such request at any time, and there shall be no limit on the ability of an Investor to issue and revoke a subsequent Opt-Out Request.

 

Section 5.12          Independent Nature of Investors’ Obligations and Rights.  The obligations of each Investor hereunder are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Investor hereunder, and no Investor shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations

 

18

 

of any other Investor hereunder.  Nothing contained herein or in any other agreement or document delivered at any closing, and no action taken by any Investor pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Investors as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Investors are in any way acting in concert with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.  Each Investor shall be entitled to protect and enforce its rights, including the rights arising out of this Agreement, and it shall not be necessary for any other Investor to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose.

 

[Signature pages follow]

 

19

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement or have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

	
VERONA PHARMA PLC
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
/s/ Jan-Anders Karlsson
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Name: Jan-Anders Karlsson
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Title:Chief Executive   Officer
    	
 
    

 

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]

 

 

INVESTORS:

 

ABINGWORTH BIOVENTURES VI LP acting by its
 Manager Abingworth LLP

 

	
By:
    	
/s/ James Abell
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Name: James Abell
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Title: Partner
    	
 
    

 

Address for Notices:

Address: 38 Jermyn Street, London SWIY 6DN, UK

Fax number: 

Email address: XXX

 

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]

 

 

INVESTORS:

 

	
AISLING CAPITAL IV, LP
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
/s/ Lloyd Appel
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Name: Lloyd Appel
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Title: Chief Financial   Officer
    	
 
    

 

Address for Notices:

Address: 888 Seventh Avenue, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10106

Fax number: 

Email address: XXX

 

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]

 

 

INVESTORS:

 

	
DON M. BAILEY
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
/s/ Don M. Bailey
    	
 
    
			

 

Address for Notices:

Address: 5748 Grandview Avenue, Yorba Linda, CA 92886

Fax number: 

Email address: XXX

 

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]

 

 

INVESTORS:

 

	
BIODISCOVERY   4 FPCI
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:   Edmund de Rothschild Investment Partners, its management company
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
/s/   Gilles Nobécourt
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Name:   Gilles Nobécourt
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Title:   Managing Director
    	
 
    

 

Address for Notices:

	
Address:
    	
47,   Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
    
	
 
    	
75401   Paris Cedex 08, France
    
	
Fax   number:
    	
 
    
	
Email   address:
    	
XXX
    

 

[Signature page to Registration Rights Agreement]

 

 

INVESTORS:

 

	
GROWTH EQUITY OPPORTUNITIES FUND IV, LLC
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
By: New Enterprise Associates 15, L.P., its sole   member
    	
 
    
	
By: NEA Partners 15, L.P., its general partner
    	
 
    
	
By: NEA 15 GP, LTD, its general partner
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
/s/   Louis S. Citron
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Name:   Louis S. Citron
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Title:   Chief Legal Officer
    	
 
    

 

Address for Notices:

Address:  1954 Greenspring Drive, Suite 600, Timonium, MD 21093

Fax number: 

Email address: XXX

 

[Signature page to Registration Rights Agreement]

 

 

INVESTORS:

 

	
ORBIMED PRIVATE INVESTMENTS VI, LP
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
OrbiMed   Capital GP VI LLC,
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
its   General Partner
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
OrbiMed   Advisors LLC,
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
its   Managing Member
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
/s/   Carl Gordon
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Name:   Carl Gordon
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Title:   Managing Member
    	
 
    
				

 

Address for Notices:

Address:  601 Lexington Ave, 54th Floor, New York, NY 10022

Fax number:

Email address: XXX

 

[Signature page to Registration Rights Agreement]

 

 

INVESTORS:

 

	
Tekla World Healthcare Fund*
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
/s/ Daniel R. Omstead
    	
 
    
	
By: Daniel R. Omstead
    	
 
    
	
Title: President
    	
 
    

 

Address for Notices:

	
Address:
    	
c/o   Tekla Capital Management LLC
    
	
 
    	
100 Federal Street 19th Floor
    
	
 
    	
Boston, MA 02110
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Fax   number:
    	
617   772 8577
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Email   address:
    	
XXX,   with copies to
    
	
 
    	
XXX,   XXX
    
	
 
    	
and   XXX
    
			

 

* The name Tekla World Healthcare Fund is the designation of the Trustee for the time being under a Declaration of Trust dated May 18, 2015, and all persons dealing with Tekla World Healthcare Fund must look solely to the trust property for the enforcement of any claim against Tekla World Healthcare Fund, as neither the Trustees, officers nor shareholders assume any personal liability for the obligations entered into on behalf of Tekla World Healthcare Fund.

 

[Signature page to Registration Rights Agreement]

 

 

INVESTORS:

 

	
Tekla Life Sciences Investors*
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
/s/ Daniel R. Omstead
    	
 
    
	
By: Daniel R. Omstead
    	
 
    
	
Title: President
    	
 
    

 

Address for Notices:

	
Address:
    	
c/o   Tekla Capital Management LLC
    
	
 
    	
100 Federal Street 19th Floor
    
	
 
    	
Boston, MA 02110
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Fax   number:
    	
617   772 8577
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Email   address:
    	
XXX,   with copies to
    
	
 
    	
XXX,   XXX
    
	
 
    	
and   XXX
    
			

 

* The name Tekla Life Sciences Investors is the designation of the Trustee for the time being under a Declaration of Trust dated February 20, 1992, as amended, and all persons dealing with Tekla Life Sciences Investors must look solely to the trust property for the enforcement of any claim against Tekla Life Sciences Investors, as neither the Trustees, officers nor shareholders assume any personal liability for the obligations entered into on behalf of Tekla Life Sciences Investors.

 

[Signature page to Registration Rights Agreement]

 

 

INVESTORS:

 

	
VIVO VENTURES FUND VII, L.P.
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
Vivo Ventures VII, LLC
    	
 
    
	
Its:
    	
General Partner
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
/s/   Albert Cha
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Name:   Albert Cha
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Title:   Managing Member
    	
 
    

 

	
VIVO VENTURES VII AFFILIATES FUND, L.P.
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
Vivo Ventures VII, LLC
    	
 
    
	
Its:
    	
General Partner
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
/s/   Albert Cha
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Name:   Albert Cha
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Title:   Managing Member
    	
 
    

 

	
VIVO VENTURES FUND VI, L.P.
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
Vivo Ventures VI, LLC
    	
 
    
	
Its:
    	
General Partner
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
/s/   Albert Cha
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Name:   Albert Cha
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Title:   Managing Member
    	
 
    

 

	
VIVO VENTURES VI AFFILIATES FUND, L.P.
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
Vivo Ventures VII, LLC
    	
 
    
	
Its:
    	
General Partner
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
/s/   Albert Cha
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Name:   Albert Cha
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Title:   Managing Member
    	
 
    

 

Address for Notices:

Address: 575 High Street, Suite 201, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA

	
Fax number:
    	
650-688-0815
    
	
Email address:
    	
XXX
    

 

[Signature page to Registration Rights Agreement]

 

 

JOINDER TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

This Joinder Agreement (this “Joinder Agreement”) is made as of the date written below by the undersigned (the “Joining Party”) in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement dated as of               , 2016 (as amended, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Registration Rights Agreement”) among Verona Pharma plc and the investors party thereto listed on the signature pages, as well as any Permitted Transferees.  Capitalized terms used, but not defined, herein shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

The Joining Party hereby acknowledges, agrees and confirms that, by its execution of this Joinder Agreement, the Joining Party shall be deemed to be a party to the Registration Rights Agreement as of the date hereof as a Permitted Transferee of an Investor thereto and shall have all of the rights and obligations of an “Investor” thereunder as if it had executed the Registration Rights Agreement.  The Joining Party hereby ratifies, as of the date hereof, and agrees to be bound by, all of the terms, provisions and conditions contained in the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Joinder Agreement as of the date written below.

 

Date:    ,

 

	
 
    	
[NAME   OF JOINING PARTY]
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name:
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title:
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Address   for Notices:
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Address:
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Fax   number:
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Email   address:

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