Document:

EX-10.7

 Exhibit 10.7 

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT 

by and between 

CONTRAFECT CORPORATION 

and 
 Michael Wittekind,
Ph.D. 
 THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is entered into on the latest date set forth on the signature pages
hereto, by and between ContraFect Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“Employer”) and Michael Wittekind, a resident of Washington State (“Employee”). 

WHEREAS, Employer is a biotech company engaged in the business of developing products for approval and sale; 

WHEREAS, Employee is a research scientist with knowledge and experience in the area of developing products in the biotech field for approval
and sale; 
 WHEREAS, Employer believes that the future services of Employee will be of substantial benefit to Employer and desires to
assure itself of the continued availability of such services; and 
 WHEREAS, Employee desires to accept employment with Employer on the
terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter stated. 
 NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises above and the mutual
promises contained herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows: 

1. Employment and Duties of Employee. 

(a) Employer hereby employs Employee to serve Employer in the capacity of Senior Vice President of Research reporting to Employer’s Chief
Executive Officer. Subject to the CEO’s direction, Employee shall direct the Research Program of the Company, prepare plans for the Company’s research activities and shall be a member of the Company’s Executive Committee. Employer
shall have the power to determine the 

 
precise duties of Employee as they may change over time and as Employer’s needs shall warrant. Employee agrees to devote Employee’s full working time, attention, ability, skill and
energies to the performance of Employee’s duties hereunder. Employee shall provide professional services on behalf of Employer in a manner and to an extent consistent with that established by Employer. Employee shall work at all
locations/offices of Employer as requested by Employer, and upon Employer’s request shall travel as needed to carry out his duties. Employee shall not provide like services for any other entity or person, whether for compensation or not, except
as an employee of Employer. Six (6) months following the Employee’s Commencement Date (see below) and after consultation with the Board, the Company shall decide whether to give Employee the title of Chief Scientific Officer. 

(b) Employee shall comply with all bylaws, policies, procedures, standards and regulations of Employer now or hereafter promulgated. Employee
shall participate in such continuing education as may be required under applicable ethical or licensing standards, laws, rules and regulations applying to Employee’s profession or as may otherwise be required by Employer. Employee shall obtain
and maintain all required licenses, credentials, approvals or other certifications to perform Employee’s duties and services hereunder. 

(c) As of the commencement of his employment, Employee represents that he will not and does not have any financial interests or compensation
arrangements of Employee (other than this Employment Agreement) in any Biotech Venture (Biotech Venture shall mean and include without limitation, any entity or person that develops or sells, researches, or licenses scientific information or
products for the therapy of human diseases, such financial interests and compensation arrangements hereinafter collectively referred to as “Arrangements”). 

Employee shall not enter into any Arrangements with any Biotech Venture without the prior written consent of Employer. 

2. Hours and Place of Employment. Employee is expected to maintain a regular work week as assigned by the Employer for employees at his level
performing such duties. Employee shall be assigned to work at Employer’s headquarters location in Yonkers, New York. 
 3. Term of Employment.
The initial term of employment (the “Initial Term”) of Employee’s employment by Employer under this Agreement shall commence on March 12, 2012 (the “Commencement Date”) and shall end three (3) years thereafter,
unless earlier terminated as hereinafter provided. Unless either party elects to terminate this Agreement at the end of the Initial Term or any renewal term by giving the other 

  
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party notice of such election at least ninety (90) days before the expiration of the Initial Term, this Agreement shall be deemed to have been renewed for an additional term of one
(1) year commencing on the day after the expiration of the then current term and so on from year to year. Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time for any reason or no reason upon
thirty (30) days’ prior written notice. In the event that Employer or Employee gives notice to terminate pursuant to the foregoing sentence, Employer may elect to have Employee cease working immediately so long as Employer continues to pay
Employee his base salary in accordance with the provisions of Section (4)(a) hereof for the entire thirty (30) day notice period. In the event Employer elects to have Employee immediately cease working during the thirty (30) days
notice period as provided in the foregoing sentence and Employee finds alternative employment that is not in violation of any provision herein, Employee may accept and engage in the alternative employment and upon Employee’s first date of
employment with the alternative employer, Employer shall terminate the payment of Employee’s base salary during the thirty (30) day notice period as provided in subsection 4(a). In the event that Employee is terminated by Employer without
cause or Employee terminates the agreement for Good Reason (subsection 7d), then in such event Employee shall be given a severance payment in the amount that is equal to twelve (12) months of his then base salary provided that Employee first
signs a Severance and Release Agreement in a form prescribed by Employer. The aforesaid severance payment shall be paid over twelve (12) months and shall be subject to mitigation by Employee. 

4. Compensation of Employee. 
 (a) As
compensation for all services to be performed by Employee from and after the Commencement Date, Employer agrees to pay to Employee a base salary of Two Hundred Forty Thousand Dollars ($240,000.00) per annum. All such payments shall be prorated for
any partial month or year and shall be payable in accordance with Employer’s customary payroll practices for Employees. Federal income taxes, social security taxes and other customary employee payroll deductions shall be deducted from all
amounts paid to Employee as compensation under this Employment Agreement. Employer will review Employee’s performance annually and discuss the review with Employee. Employee’s base salary may subsequently be increased as a result of such
performance review. 
 (b) Effective as of the Commencement Date Employer shall give Employee stock options for One Hundred Forty Thousand
(140,000) shares of common stock of the Company under its stock option plan (attached hereto as Exhibit 4(b) and incorporated herein by this reference) which will provide, among other things, for vesting in annual increments, at a $1.65 per
share strike price, over three years (48,000 shares at 

  
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the end of the first year, 48,000 shares at the end of the second year, and 48,000 shares at the end of the third year. Such options shall have a duration of 10 years. The stock option plan
provides, inter alia, that unvested options shall be forfeited in the event that Employee is no longer an employee as of the vesting date. Stock Options are controlled by the Employer’s Equity Incentive Plan, a copy of which is
attached, hereto. Vesting upon a Change in Control is covered therein. The 2008 Equity Incentive Plan provides that “As of the effective time and date of any Change in Control, ... any then outstanding Awards (whether or not vested) will
accelerate and become fully exercisable and fully vested. The Plan’s terms may be amended or modified as provided therein. 
 (c)
Employee shall be entitled to participate in such fringe benefit programs as Employer may offer to its senior employees generally, including payment of medical and dental premiums for Employee, Employee’s spouse and the children of
Employee ages 26 and younger. The Employer’s current health insurance plan is with Oxford and also includes optical and dental coverage. Employer reserves the right, subject to decisions of its Board of Directors, to amend, decrease or
discontinue any benefit program at any time without advance notice to or consent of the Employee, consistent with the manner in which Employer changes the benefit programs for other similarly situated employees of Employer. 

(d) Within thirty (30) days of commencing employment Employer will give Employee a signing bonus of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000)
less taxable withholdings. The signing bonus shall be repaid to Employer by Employee if Employee ceases to be an employee of Employer within six (6) months of the commencement of his employment. 

(e) Employee shall be entitled to reimbursement of all reasonable expenses, not to exceed Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000), related to the
relocation of Employee and his family to the New York City metropolitan area. Such reimbursement shall either be direct billed to the Company or the Employee may be reimbursed by the Company upon presentation of receipts satisfactory to Employer for
expenses actually incurred in connection with the foregoing. The expenses paid by Employer shall be repaid to Employer by Employee if Employee ceases to be an employee of Employer within six (6) months of the commencement of his employment.

 5. Absences and Vacation. In each calendar year of Employee’s employment Employee shall have off as paid vacation the Christmas/New
Year’s break starting with December 24 as the first day off and ending on January 1 of the following year (the “Winter Vacation”). In addition, in each calendar year of Employee’s employment Employee shall be entitled
to take fourteen (14) days off as paid vacation on dates that 

  
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are subject to the approval of Employer and are not within one (1) month of the Winter Vacation. Employee shall be entitled to five (5) paid sick days and two personal days in each year
of Employee’s employment. Except as to sick days, vacation time off shall be taken at a time reasonably convenient to Employer. In the event Employee’s employment terminates prior to the end of the term hereof, such entitlement shall be
prorated. Any unused time off at the end of any annual term of this Agreement shall not entitle Employee to payment therefor and may not be carried forward into any subsequent period of employment. All vacation and sick time shall be prorated if
Employee’s employment shall start or end during a calendar year. 
 6. Expenses. In addition to the compensation payable to Employee under
Section 4, Employer agrees to reimburse Employee for approved expenses reasonably incurred during the course of Employee’s employment. Such reimbursement shall be made upon presentation of receipts satisfactory to Employer for expenses
actually incurred in connection with the foregoing. 
 7. Termination Other Than For Cause. 

(a) In the event of Employee’s death, Employee’s employment shall terminate immediately and Employee’s estate shall be paid
Employee’s base salary and accrued bonus, if any, through the date on which such death occurred. 
 (b) If Employee after working for
six (6) months for Employer becomes unable to perform the essential functions of Employee’s duties (with reasonable accommodation, if requested) due to partial or total disability or incapacity resulting from a mental or physical illness
or injury or any similar cause, Employer will continue the payment of Employee’s base salary pursuant to Section 4(a) for a period of three (3) months, or until the Employee is able to return to work, whichever is shorter. The first
days of said salary continuation shall be charged against any of Employee’s accrued and unused vacation time, sick time and personal days. Thereafter, Employer shall have no obligation for the payment of Employee’s base salary pursuant to
Section 4(a) to Employee during the continuance of such disability or incapacity. Any disability payments that are paid to Employee from Employer provided disability insurance shall be applied as an offset against Employer’s salary
continuation under this subsection 7(b). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, Employee shall not be entitled to receive base salary pursuant to this subsection 7(b) for more than three (3) months in any consecutive twelve
(12) month period. At such time as the Family and Medical Leave Act shall apply to Employer, if ever, Employee shall have such rights as are provided for thereunder. 

  
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 (c) In the event that Employer fails to pay Employee any installment of the base salary owed to
Employee under Section 4(a) or (b) when it is due and such non-payment is not cured within fifteen (15) days after Employee shall have notified Employer in writing of such non-payment, then Employee, provided that Employee is not in
default with respect to any of Employee’s obligations under this Agreement, shall have the option to terminate Employee’s employment under this Agreement immediately upon Employee giving written notice of such termination to Employer. 

(d) Employee may terminate Employee’s employment, hereunder for Good Reason effective, upon written notice to the Employer. “Good
Reason” shall mean: 
 (i) In the event that Employer institutes a significant and material adverse change in the duties,
responsibilities, title, or compensation (reduction) of the Employee without his consent; or 
 (ii) a material breach by Company of this
Agreement that adversely affects Employee, which is not cured by the Company within fifteen (15) days of receipt of written notice from the Employee fully describing the alleged breach. 

8. Termination for Cause. 
 (a)
Employee’s employment under this Agreement shall be deemed to be terminated upon the occurrence of any of the following, at Employer’s election, immediately upon Employer giving written notice of such termination to Employee: 

(i) Employee’s conviction of any felony or a crime involving moral turpitude. 

(ii) Employee’s failure or refusal to follow, in any material respect, the instructions of Employer or the bylaws, policies, standards
or regulations of Employer, which from time to time may be established or changed. 
 (iii) Employee’s continued failure or refusal to
faithfully and diligently perform, in any material respect, the usual and customary duties of Employee’s employment hereunder. 
 (iv)
Employee’s conduct is unprofessional, unethical, immoral or fraudulent. 
 (v) Employee’s conduct is detrimental to the
reputation, character or standing of Employer. 

  
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 (vi) Unlawful use by Employee of narcotics or other controlled substances, or use of alcohol or
other drugs in a manner Employer reasonably determines interferes with the performance of the essential functions of Employee’s duties hereunder. 

(vii) Employee’s failure or refusal to behave in a reasonably courteous, respectful and helpful manner toward third parties or
co-workers. 
 (viii) With respect to sections (ii) and (iii) of this Section 8(a) the written notice shall give Employee
thirty (30) days to cure his performance deficiencies. 
 (ix) With respect to unprofessional conduct as referenced in section (iv),
conduct that is detrimental to the reputation, character or standing of Employer as referenced in section (v), or Employee’s failure or refusal to behave in a reasonably courteous, respectful and helpful manner toward third parties or
co-workers as referenced in section (vii), of this Section 8(a), Employer shall, if Employer reasonably determines that such infraction is subject to cure, give Employee a written notice of his infraction and shall give Employee fifteen
(15) days to cure his performance deficiencies. 
 9. Proprietary and Confidential Information. 

(a) Confidential Information. Employee acknowledges that, during the course of his service with Employer, he will have access to Confidential
Information and materials not generally known outside Employer. For all purposes of this Agreement, “Confidential Information” means all information and materials (whether conceived or developed by Employee or others), marketing and other
business plans, customers and customer information, data strategies, research, reports, copyrights and patents related to Employer. During the Term of this Agreement, Employee shall not, without the prior consent of Employer, communicate or divulge
any Confidential Information or materials to anyone other than Employer and its partners, affiliates, employees, consultants and those designated by it except in the course of carrying out his duties or as required by law. Employee acknowledges that
Confidential Information is and shall remain the property of Employer. The confidentiality obligations hereunder shall not apply to Confidential Information which: (i) is, or later becomes, public knowledge other than by breach of this
Agreement; or (ii) is in the possession of Employee with the full right to disclose same prior to his receipt of it from Employer; or (iii) is independently received by Employee from a third party, with no restrictions of disclosure.
Furthermore, Employee agrees not to use Confidential Information for any purposes other than to perform duties for Employer hereunder. Employee shall also execute Employer’s standard Confidentiality Agreement in the form set forth in Exhibit
9(a) and thereafter in such form as Employer may present to Employee. 

  
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 (b) Ownership of Patents and Intellectual Property. Employee agrees that any work prepared for
Employer from the date of this Agreement until the expiration of his employment with Employer, which is eligible for copyright and patent protection under the laws of the United States or any other country and any proprietary know-how developed by
Employee while rendering services for Employer, will vest in Employer. Employee hereby grants, transfers and assigns all right, title and interest in such work and all copyrights and patents in such work and all renewals and extensions thereof to
Employer, and agrees to provide all assistance reasonably requested by Employer in the establishment, preservation and enforcement of Employer’s copyright and patents in such work, such assistance to be provided at Employer’s expense but
without any additional compensation to Employee if Employee is employed by Employer and for reasonable compensation and subject to his reasonable availability if he is not. If Employer cannot, after reasonable effort, secure Employee’s
signature on any documents needed do apply for or prosecute any patent, copyright or other right or protection relating to an invention, whether because of his physical or mental incapacity or for any other reason whatsoever, Employee hereby
irrevocably designates and appoints Employer and its duly authorized officers and agents as his agent and attorney-in-fact, to act for and on his behalf and in his name and stead for the purpose of executing and filing any such application or
applications and taking all other lawfully permitted actions to further the prosecution and issuance of patents, copyrights, or similar protections thereon, with the same legal force and effect as if executed by him. 

(c) Litigation. Employee agrees to render assistance and cooperation to Employer at its request regarding any matter, dispute or controversy
with which Employer may become involved and of which Employee has useful knowledge, information or expertise. Such services will be without additional compensation if Employee is then employed by Employer and for reasonable compensation and subject
to his reasonable availability if he is not. Following his employment, Employee shall not be required to cooperate other than as a fact witness. Employer agrees to pay all expenses reasonably incurred or to be incurred by Employee in connection with
his cooperation. 
 10. Covenants not to Compete. 

(a) Non-competition. Employee acknowledges that his duties hereunder and the services he will provide to Employer are of a special, unique,
unusual and extraordinary character, which gives this Agreement particular value to Employer, and that the knowledge he will learn while working for Employer is such that it will necessarily be valuable to a competitor and almost impossible to keep
confidential if Employee were to work for a competitor. Therefore, during the Term and for a period of 

  
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one year after termination of his service to Employer, Employee will not, directly or indirectly, enter into, organize, control, engage in, be employed by, serve as a consultant to, be an officer
or director of, or have any direct investment of more than 5% of the outstanding shares in, any business, person, partnership, association, firm, corporation, or other entity engaged in any business activity (including, but not limited to, research,
development, manufacturing, selling, leasing, licensing or providing services) which is competitive with the business of Employer. For purposes of this Agreement, a business activity is competitive with the business of the Company if it is being
done on behalf of, any business, person, partnership, association, firm, corporation, or other entity that owns, develops, sells, researches, or licenses scientific information, or products involving antibodies, lysins and other bacterial products
specifically for the treatment of human pathogens. This does not preclude the Employee working for a diversified Biotech company that discovers and develops therapies to address multiple therapeutic areas (such as oncology, inflammation, metabolic
disease, neurology, etc...in addition to infectious disease), as long as employee does not directly or indirectly engage in work and projects aimed at addressing infectious disease in ways that would directly compete with the Company during the
non-compete period. 
 (b) Non-diversion. During the Term, and for a period of one year after the date of termination of Employee’s
employment with Employer, Employee will not divert or attempt to divert or take advantage of or attempt to take advantage of any actual or potential business or opportunities of Employer. 

(c) Non-recruitment. Employee agrees that Employer has or will invest substantial time and effort in assembling its workforce. Accordingly,
Employee agrees that during the Term and for a period of one year after the date of termination of Employee’s employment with Employer Employee will not directly or indirectly (a) hire away any individuals who were employed by, or
providing independent contractor services to, Employer during the one-year period prior to the date of termination of Employee’s service with Employer, or (b) directly or indirectly, entice, solicit or seek to induce or influence any such
employees, or independent contractors, to leave or curtail their service with Employer or to provide services to others. In addition, Employee agrees that for a period of one year after the date of termination of Employee’s employment with
Employer Employee will not directly or indirectly solicit any customer of Employer for the benefit of Employee or any other business venture 
 11.
Remedies. 
 (a) Employee acknowledges that the restrictions contained in Sections 9 and 10, in view of the nature of the business of
Employer, are reasonable and necessary in order to protect the legitimate interests of Employer. Employee acknowledges that any 

  
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violation of such restrictions would likely result in irreparable injuries to Employer, and Employee therefore acknowledges that, in the event of Employee’s violation of any of these
restrictions, Employer shall be entitled to seek from any court of competent jurisdiction preliminary and permanent injunctive relief without proving actual damage or immediate or irreparable harm and without posting any bond. In addition, Employer
shall be entitled to seek damages and an equitable accounting of all earnings, profits and other benefits arising from such violation, which rights shall be cumulative and in addition to any other rights or remedies to which Employer may be
entitled. 
 (b) If the time, geographic, or other limitations specified in Sections 9 and 10 above should be adjudged to exceed limitations
permitted by applicable law in any proceeding, then the affected provisions shall be deemed reformed in such jurisdiction to the maximum time, geographic, product or service or other limitations permitted by applicable law. If Employee violates any
of the restrictions contained in the foregoing Sections 9 and 10, the restrictive period shall be tolled, and shall not run, during the time of any said breach. 

(c) In view of the difficulty of determining the amount of damages that may result to the parties hereto from the breach of the provision of
Section 9 or 10, it is the intent of the parties hereto that, in addition to monetary damages, any non-breaching party shall have the right to prevent any such breach in equity or otherwise, including without limitation prevention by means of
injunctive relief. The prevailing party in any such action shall be entitled to an award of its reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. 
 12.
Non-disparagement. Employee and Employer mutually agree that, during the Term and for a period of five years thereafter, neither will directly or indirectly disparage the other. 

13. Entire Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement and its attachments constitutes the entire agreement and understanding between Employer and Employee
relating to the subject matter hereof, and shall not be amended or changed except by written instrument signed by each of the undersigned parties. There are no prior or contemporaneous oral or written understandings or agreements between the parties
regarding Employee’s employment by Employer or any other matter. 
 14. No Waiver. Neither Employee nor Employer shall by any act, delay,
indulgence, omission or otherwise be deemed to have waived any right or remedy hereunder or to have acquiesced in any default in or breach of any of the terms and conditions hereof. No failure to exercise, nor any delay in exercising, on the part of
Employee or Employer, any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. No single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege hereunder shall preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any
other right, power or privilege. 

  
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 15. Waiver of Jury Trial. The parties hereto waive any and all rights to a trial by jury with respect to
any action arising hereunder. 
 16. Governing Law, Venue, Interpretation of Language. The parties agree that this Agreement shall be governed by the
laws of the State of New York and that venue for an action between the parties that arises out of this Agreement shall be in New York county, State of New York. In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement
shall be construed as if drafted jointly by the parties and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions of this Agreement. 

17. Resignation as Officer and Director. In the event that Employee’s employment with Employer is terminated for any reason whatsoever, Employee
agrees to immediately resign from any position Employee may hold as an officer or director of, or on behalf of, Employer. 
 18. Limitation on
Authority. Without the express written consent of Employer, the Employee shall have no apparent or implied authority to: 
 (a) pledge
the credit of Employer or any of its employees; 
 (b) bind the Employer under any contract, agreement, note, mortgage or otherwise; or 

(c) sell, mortgage, transfer or otherwise dispose of any assets of Employer. 

19. Notices. Any notices under this Agreement shall be given in writing in person or by registered or certified U.S. mail, postage prepaid, return
receipt requested, or by facsimile with confirmation, to the parties at their respective addresses set forth below, and such notices shall be deemed given when received or three (3) days after placed in the mail in the manner provided above.
Either party may change such party’s address for notice by giving notice as provided herein. 
  

							
	(a)	  	If to Employer:	  	With a copy to:	  	
				
	(b)	  	If to Employee:	  		  	

  
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 20. Prior Agreements. Employee represents to Employer that (a) there are no restrictions, agreements
or understandings to which Employee is a party that would prevent or make unlawful Employee’s execution of this Agreement or Employee’s employment hereunder, (b) Employee’s execution of this Agreement and Employee’s
employment hereunder shall not constitute a breach of any contract, agreement or understanding, oral or written, to which Employee is a party or by which Employee is bound, (c) Employee is free and able to execute this Agreement and to enter
into employment by Employer, and (d) Employee shall not divulge to Employer any trade secrets or proprietary information that belongs to any other person or entity. 

21. No Assignment. This Agreement and the rights and obligations of both parties hereunder are personal in nature, and shall not be assignable by
either party hereto, except by operation of law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Employer may assign some or all of its rights hereunder to a successor in interest. 

22. Headings. Headings used in this Agreement are solely for the convenience of the parties and shall be given no effect in the construction or
interpretation of this Agreement. 
 23. Miscellaneous. 

(a) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original as against any
party whose signature appears thereon, and all of which shall together constitute one and the same instrument. This Agreement shall become binding when one or more counterparts hereof, individually or taken together, shall bear the signatures of all
of the parties reflected hereon as the signatories. 
 (b) Provisions Separable. The provisions of this Agreement are independent of and
separable from each other, and no provision shall be affected or rendered invalid or unenforceable by virtue of the fact that for any reason any other or others of them may be invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part. 

(c) Survival. Any provisions of this Agreement which, by their terms, are intended to survive the expiration or termination of this Agreement,
including but not limited to the restrictive covenant and the provisions relating to non-solicitation, confidentiality, and both parties agree to forever waive any claim or defense, at law or in equity, asserting that such provision(s) terminated or
otherwise became unenforceable as a result of the expiration or termination of this Agreement. 

  
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 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be signed and delivered as
of the day and year set forth below. 
  

			
	CONTRAFECT CORPORATION
		
	By:	 	 /s/ Robert Nowinski

		 	Robert Nowinski, CEO
	Dated:	 	March 6, 2012
		
		 	 /s/ Michael Wittekind

		 	Michael Wittekind, Ph.D.
	Dated:	 	February 29, 2012

  
 13EX-10.8

 Exhibit 10.8 

EXECUTION VERSION 

CONTRAFECT CORPORATION 

December 13, 2013 
 Robert Nowinski 

350 Central Park West, 14J 
 New York, NY 10025 

Separation Agreement 
 Dear Bob: 

This letter agreement (this “Agreement”) sets forth our mutual understanding concerning your departure from services in all
capacities as a director, officer and employee of ContraFect Corporation (the “Company”). 
 1. Resignation from
Service. Effective as of November 20, 2013 (the “Departure Date”), you resigned and departed as Chief Executive Officer of the Company and from each position and office held by you as a director, officer or employee of the
Company. In connection with your departure, the Company will pay you your accrued and unused vacation as well as any earned but unpaid base salary, therapist payments and anything else that may have been owed to you as of the Departure Date. The
Company will reimburse your unreimbursed business expenses incurred prior to the Departure Date in accordance with Company’s business expense reimbursement policies; provided, that you submit proper documentation evidencing such expenses to the
Company within 30 calendar days following the Effective Date as hereinafter defined. Upon your departure, you incurred a “separation from service” (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code (the
“Code”)) and your employment agreement, dated June 2010, (the “Original Employment Agreement”), as amended by the rider (the “Rider”) dated February 2011 (the Original Employment Agreement, as
amended by the Rider, the “Employment Agreement”), terminated and, unless otherwise specifically provided herein, will be superseded in its entirety by this Agreement. The Original Employment Agreement and the Rider are attached as
Exhibits A and B. 
 2. Departure Payments and Benefits. Subject to (i) your execution of this Agreement and (ii) your
non-revocation of this Agreement within the Revocation Period (as defined in Section 13(j)) (the date on which the Revocation Period expires is hereinafter referred to as the “Effective Date”), the Company will provide you with
the following departure payments and benefits: 
 (a) Salary Continuation. The Company will continue to pay you, as severance, your
base salary at the current annual rate of $522,500 (the “Base Salary”) for a period of two years from the Departure Date (the “Salary Continuation Period”). The Base Salary will continue
to be paid bi-weekly during this period pursuant to the Company’s normal 

 
payroll practices, or as they may be amended from time to time with respect to its senior executives; provided, however, that the installment of Base Salary otherwise payable on
December 15, 2013 shall not be paid to you on such date if the Effective Date has not occurred on or prior to such date, and, if the Revocation Period expires after December 15, 2013 without your having revoked this Agreement, such
installment of Base Salary shall be paid to you on the first business day following the Effective Date. 
 (b) Bonuses. You will also
receive an annual cash bonus for each of 2013 and 2014 in an amount equal to $261,250, and a pro rata portion for 2015 equal to $231,904. Such bonus amounts shall be paid to you in a lump sum at the normal time at which bonuses are paid to employees
of the Company, but in any event not later than January 15 of the year following the end of each such year. 
 (c) Employee
Benefits. The Company will provide you, at its cost, with a Company paid family medical, dental, and vision health care insurance plan (the “Plans”) that will allow you to select physicians of your choice. The current Plans that
you have allow for that and the Company shall continue them (or shall replicate them if the coverage ends or if it is beyond the COBRA continuation period) for you on the same basis and with comparable coverage, limits and deductibles until the
earlier of (i) the end of the Salary Continuation Period, or (ii) the date on which you become covered for medical and/or dental insurance, and/or vision insurance, whichever the case may be, by another employer you are then working for.
You will not be reimbursed by the Company for any costs not covered by the said medical, vision and dental benefit plans. The Company will provide you with, and you agree to promptly complete, any forms (including COBRA documentation) required to
facilitate the coverage contemplated in this Section 2(c). 
 (d) Treatment of Outstanding Equity. On the Effective Date, all
unvested stock options that were held by you, as well as all stock options that are to be granted to you pursuant to Section 2(g) hereof, shall immediately be fully vested, unconditional, and exercisable. All such stock options will remain
exercisable by you until the earlier of (x) the ten (10) year anniversary of the date of each respective grant in accordance with their terms or (y) four (4) years following the Company’s consummation of an IPO, upon which
time, all unexercised stock options held by you shall terminate and cease to be outstanding. 
 (e) Fees and Costs. The Company will
pay Pedowitz & Meister, LLP for its services as your attorneys in connection with the negotiation and entry into this Agreement the amount of $20,000. The Company will pay said fees within five (5) days after the Effective Date,
subject only to Pedowitz and Meister LLP having submitted to the Company an invoice for such services as soon as practicable following the date hereof. 

(f) Additional Cash Compensation. The Company agrees to pay you an additional cash payment of $100,000 which shall be paid out in
quarterly installments of $12,500 as of the Departure Date, over two (2) years, with the first quarterly payment being made within five (5) days after the Effective Date. 

(g) Additional Equity. On the Effective Date, you will be granted an additional 250,000 stock options under the Company’s Amended
and Restated 2008 Equity Incentive Plan which shall be fully vested, unconditional, and exercisable as of the Effective 

  
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Date. The Effective Date shall be the date of grant for purposes of these options. The options will remain exercisable until the earlier of (x) the ten (10) year anniversary of the date
of grant or (y) four (4) years following the Company’s consummation of an IPO, upon which time, all such unexercised stock options held by you shall terminate and cease to be outstanding. The exercise price for said options shall be
$0.86 per share. 
 (h) Registration of Shares and Options. The Company, at no cost to you, will include the shares owned by you and
the shares underlying your stock options and warrants in the initial registration statement it files under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, if and when it files, subject to approval by the underwriter and such lock-up period that the
underwriter requires. You currently hold 50,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock out of 2,200,000 shares of such series issued and outstanding. The conversion and other rights of your Series A Preferred Stock shall be the same as apply to any
other holder of preferred shares in such series. A table showing all of the stock and options, as well as the options’ respective grant dates and exercise prices, and final date for exercise if there is no IPO, is Exhibit C. A copy of the
Amended and Restated 2008 Equity Compensation Plan is attached hereto as Exhibit D. Copies of the options agreements evidencing the grants listed on Exhibit C are attached hereto as Exhibit E. 

3. Cashless Exercise. You shall have the right, should you choose to do so, to pay for your stock options by cashless exercise to the
extent permitted under the terms of the award agreement evidencing such grants of stock options. 
 4. Promissory Notes. You have
executed and delivered two promissory notes, respectively dated February 2011 and December 15, 2011 evidencing loans made to you by the Company in the amounts of $500,000 and $100,000, respectively (the “Promissory Notes”). The
Promissory Notes are hereby amended to extend the respective maturity dates thereof until the end of the Salary Continuation Period. The Company agrees that the principal and interest due under the Promissory Notes shall be forgiven by the Company
ratably on a monthly basis over the course of the Salary Continuation Period. 
 5. No Other Compensation or Benefits; Payments on
Death. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, or as required by applicable law, you will not be entitled to any compensation or benefits or to participate in any past, present or future employee benefit programs or
arrangements of the Company (including, without limitation, any compensation or benefits under any severance plan, program or arrangement) on or after the Departure Date. All payments and benefits provided to you under this Agreement shall be paid
to your Executor (it is expected that Arnold Pedowitz or Charles Abercrombie will be your Executor), at the same times as provided herein for payments to you, in the event of your death prior to same having been paid. 

6. Repayment of Advances. Provided that you do not timely revoke this Agreement you agree to repay to the Company any advances, payroll
or otherwise, made to you prior to the Departure Date. Such advances total $11,059.84 and that amount shall be repaid to the Company by near equal deductions from your Salary Continuation payments, during the Salary Continuation Period. If this
Agreement is not timely revoked, then in addition to any other remedies you may have, you shall have no obligation to repay so much of the aforesaid advances as is then remaining in the event that the Company should stop making your Salary
Continuation payments to you. 

  
 3 

 7. Return of Property. As soon as practicable following the Departure Date, you will
surrender to the Company all property of the Company in your possession. This includes, without limitation, any and all Company credit cards, keys, security access codes, records, manuals, customer lists, notebooks, computer programs and files,
papers, electronically stored information and documents kept or made by you in connection with your duties during your employment; provided, however, that you may retain your personal personnel type and health related information. If you
subsequently discover that you have Company property in your possession, you will promptly return it to the Company or destroy it. 
 8.
No Public Comments. You agree to refrain from making, directly or indirectly, now or at any time in the future, whether in writing, orally or electronically: (i) any derogatory comment concerning any member of the Company or any of their
current or former directors, officers, employees, shareholders, members or partners, or (ii) any other comment that could reasonably be expected to be detrimental to the business or financial prospects or reputation of the Company. Similarly,
the Company, the members of its Board of Directors, and the officers of the Company, whom shall be instructed on this point, agree to refrain, from making, directly or indirectly, now or at any time in the future, whether in writing, orally or
electronically: (x) any derogatory comment concerning you, or (y) any other comment that could reasonably be expected to be detrimental to your business or financial prospects or reputation. The only statement that the parties or the
members of the Board of Directors of the Company may directly or indirectly make regarding your departure from the Company is that you did so for medical reasons. No other explanation or specificity shall be given by you or the Company. 

9. Survival of Certain Provisions of Employment Agreement. The covenants contained in Sections 12 and 13 and 20 of your Employment
Agreement will continue to apply in full force and effect following the Departure Date; provided, however, that with respect to Section 13(a) of your Employment Agreement, which runs for one year from the Departure Date, a business
activity will be deemed to be competitive with the business of the Company only if it is being done on or on behalf of any business, person, partnership association, firm, corporation or other entity that owns, develops, sells, researches or
licenses scientific information, or products involving, in any way, (a) antibodies for the treatment of influenza or (b) lysins. In addition, Sections 7 and 10 (to the extent they relate to indemnification) of the Employment Agreement
shall remain in full force and effect and shall not be superseded by this Agreement. 
 10. Breach of Agreement. In the event of any
material breach by you or by the Company of any provision of this Agreement, and except as required by applicable law, the non-breaching party shall give written notice of the breach to the breaching party and, if such breach is susceptible to cure,
to the breaching party shall have the right to cure such breach to the reasonable satisfaction of the non-breaching party within fifteen (15) days of its/his receipt of such written notice. 

  
 4 

 11. Releases. 

(a) General Release by You. In consideration of the release set forth in Section 11(e) below and of the payments and benefits
provided to you under this Agreement, and after consultation with counsel, you and each of your respective heirs, executors, administrators, representatives, agents, successors and assigns, in their capacities as such (collectively, the
“Executive Parties”) expressly waive and release any and all claims, actions, causes of action, rights, judgments, obligations, damages, demands, accountings or liabilities of whatever kind or character that you have or may have
against the Company, including in their respective capacities as such, its officers, directors, employees or affiliates (collectively the “Company Releasees”), that may be waived and released by law with the exception of claims
arising out of or attributable to (i) events, acts or omissions taking place after the execution of this Agreement; or (ii) the breach of any terms and conditions of this Agreement. Without limitation, you specifically release the Company
Releasees from (1) any claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (as amended), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Family and Medical Leave Act (as amended), the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Equal Pay Act (as
amended), the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (as amended), the Civil Rights Act of 1991 (as amended), the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (as amended), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (as amended),
Section 1981 of U.S.C. Title 42, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (as amended), the Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (as amended), the New York Labor Law, Article 4 of the New York Civil Rights Law, the New York State Human
Rights Law, the New York City Human Rights Law, the New York State Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act and the New York Nondiscrimination for Legal Actions Law and any other federal, state, local or foreign law, rule or regulation, in
each case that may legally be waived and released, and (2) any tort or contract claims, including, without limitation, wrongful discharge, breach of contract, defamation, slander, libel, emotional distress, tortious conduct, invasion of
privacy, interference with contract, wrongful or retaliatory discharge, violation of public policy, implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, negligence, fraud, personal injury or sickness or any other harm (collectively, the
“Release”). You do not hereby release, discharge or waive (x) any rights to enforce the terms of this Agreement, including your eligibility for indemnification as provided in Section 9, or (y) any claims which cannot
be waived by law. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, you do not waive any right to, and the Company agrees not to oppose in any manner, a claim or filing by you for unemployment benefits. 

(b) Specific Release of ADEA Claims. In further consideration of the payments and benefits provided to you under this Agreement, the
Executive Parties hereby unconditionally release and forever discharge the Company Releasees from any and all claims arising under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, as amended (“ADEA”) that the Executive Parties may have as
of the date you sign this Agreement. By agreeing to this Release, you hereby acknowledge and confirm the following: (i) you were advised by the Company in connection with your departure to consult with an attorney of your choice prior to
agreeing to this Release and to have such attorney explain to you the terms of this Release, including, without limitation, the terms relating to your release of claims arising under ADEA, and you have in fact consulted with an attorney;
(ii) you were given a period of not fewer than 21 days to consider the terms of this Release and to consult with an attorney of his choosing with respect thereto; (iii) you knowingly and voluntarily accept the terms of this Release; and

  
 5 

 
(iv) you are providing this release and discharge only in exchange for consideration in addition to anything of value to which you are already entitled. You also understand that you have seven
(7) days following the date on which you sign this Agreement within which to revoke the Release contained in this Section 11(b), by providing the Company with a written notice of your revocation. 

(c) Representation. The parties hereby represent, each to the other, that neither has instituted, assisted or otherwise participated in
connection with, any action, complaint, claim, charge, grievance, arbitration, lawsuit, or administrative agency proceeding, or action at law or otherwise against the other. The parties further represent and warrant that neither has assigned any of
the claims being released hereunder. The Company may not assign this Agreement, including the Release, in whole or in part, except with your consent. 

(d) Proceedings. 
  

	 	(i)	General Agreement Relating to Proceedings. Neither party has filed and, except as provided in Sections 11(d)(ii) and 11(d)(iii), the parties hereby agree not to initiate or cause to be initiated on their behalf,
any complaint, charge, claim or proceeding against the other that is released by Section 11 of this Agreement. The parties respectively waive any right they may have to benefit in any manner from any relief (whether monetary or
otherwise) arising out of any proceeding for a claim released herein. 

  

	 	(ii)	Proceedings Under ADEA. Section 11(d)(i) shall not preclude you from filing any complaint, charge, claim or proceeding challenging the validity of your waiver of claims arising under ADEA. However, both you
and the Company confirm their belief that your waiver of claims under ADEA is valid and enforceable, and that their intention is that all claims under ADEA will be waived. 

 

	 	(iii)	Certain Administrative Proceedings. Section 11(d)(i) shall not preclude you from filing a charge with or participating in any administrative investigation or proceeding by the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission or another Fair Employment Practices agency. You are, however, waiving your right to recover money in connection with any such charge or investigation. You are also waiving your right to recover money in connection with a charge filed by
any other entity or individual, or by any federal, state or local agency regarding something released herein. 

 (e)
Release by the Company. The Company Releasees expressly waive and release any and all claims, actions, causes of action, rights, judgments, obligations, damages, demands, accountings or liabilities of whatever kind or character that they may
have against the Executive Parties that may be waived and released by law with the exception of claims arising out of or attributable to (i) events, acts or omissions taking place after the execution of this Agreement and (ii) your breach
of any terms and conditions of this Agreement. The Company is not aware of any facts that would give rise to a claim against you by it. 

  
 6 

 12. Miscellaneous. 

(a) Entire Agreement. This Agreement sets forth the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto with respect to the
matters covered hereby and supersedes and replaces any express or implied, written or oral, prior agreement, plan or arrangement with respect to the terms of your employment (including, without limitation, the Employment Agreement, except to the
extent that the terms therein have been expressly incorporated herein by reference) and your resignation therefrom which you may have had with the Company. This Agreement may be amended only by a written document signed by both you and the Company.

 (b) Section 409A. If any provision of this Agreement contravenes Section 409A of the Code, the regulations promulgated
thereunder or any related guidance issued by the U.S. Treasury Department, the Company may reform this Agreement or any provision hereof to maintain to the maximum extent practicable the original intent of the provision without violating the
provisions of Section 409A of the Code. Any payments that qualify for the “separation pay” or “short-term deferral” exception or another exception under Section 409A of the Code shall be paid under the applicable
exception. For purposes of the limitations on nonqualified deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code, each payment of compensation under this Agreement shall be treated as a separate payment of compensation. Despite any contrary
provision of this Agreement, any references to your “departure”, “termination of employment” or the “date of termination” (or any similar term) shall mean and refer to the date of your “separation from
service,” as that term is defined in Section 409A of the Code and Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h). In no event may you directly or indirectly designate the calendar year of any payment under this Agreement. The Company
represents that to the best of its understanding this Agreement does not contravene Section 409A of the Code. 
 (c) Withholding
Taxes. Any payments made or benefits provided to you under this Agreement will be reduced by any applicable withholding taxes. 
 (d)
Waiver. The failure of either party to this Agreement to enforce any of its terms, provisions or covenants will not be construed as a waiver of the same or of the right of such party to enforce the same. Waiver by either party hereto of any
breach or default by the other party of any term or provision of this Agreement will not operate as a waiver of any other breach or default. 

(e) Severability. In the event that any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity,
legality and enforceability of the remainder of the Agreement will not in any way be affected or impaired thereby. If any provision of this Agreement is held to be excessively broad as to duration, activity or subject, such provision will be
construed by limiting and reducing it so as to be enforceable to the maximum extent allowed by applicable law. 

  
 7 

 (f) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, which
together will constitute one and the same agreement. Facsimile signatures and those transmitted by e-mail or other electronic means shall have the same effect as originals. 

(g) Successors and Assigns. Except as otherwise provided herein, this Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by you
and the Company and your and their respective heirs, successors and assigns and shall be binding on any successors of the Company, including, without limitation, any successor by way of merger or, with your consent, the acquiror of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Company. 
 (h) Notices. Any notices required or made pursuant to this Agreement will be in
writing and will be deemed to have been given when delivered or mailed by United States certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, as follows: 

Robert Nowinski: at the last home address in the Company’s records; and 

The Company: 
 ContraFect
Corporation 
 28 Wells Avenue #300 

Yonkers, New York 10701 

Attention: Chief Executive Officer 
 or to such
other address as either party may furnish to the other in writing in accordance with this Section 12(h). Notices of change of address will be effective only upon receipt. 

(i) Governing Law. This Agreement will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York. 

(j) Revocation. This Agreement may be revoked by you within the seven (7) day period commencing on the date you sign this
Agreement (the “Revocation Period”). In the event of any such revocation by you, all obligations of the Company and you under this Agreement will terminate and be of no further force and effect as of the date of such revocation, and
each party shall be free to assert any claims or defenses it or he may have with respect to your employment with the Company and the termination thereof. In the event of timely revocation, this Agreement shall not be admissible in any future
proceedings between the parties and the positions taken by the parties in this Agreement shall not be deemed to be an admission by a party that it agreed that the matter should have been resolved in the way it is in the Agreement. This Agreement, if
revoked, shall constitute nothing more than an offer in compromise that was not accepted and shall not be evidence of anything. No such revocation by you will be effective unless it is in writing and signed by you and received by the Company prior
to the expiration of the Revocation Period. 
 (k) Reorganization or Bankruptcy. The Company represents that it has not consulted
with counsel regarding, and that it has no present plans to file for, a reorganization or other filing under the United States bankruptcy laws. 

  
 8 

 (l) Arbitration. Article 20 of the Original Employment Agreement shall be deemed to have
survived the termination of it and shall apply to, and govern, the resolution of any and all disputes that may arise under this Agreement. 

[Signature page follows] 

  
 9 

 
					
	CONTRAFECT CORPORATION
		
	By:	 	 /s/ Sol Barer, Ph.D.

		 	Name:	 	
		 	Title:	 	

 THE UNDERSIGNED HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT EACH HAS READ THIS AGREEMENT, THAT EACH FULLY KNOWS,
UNDERSTANDS AND APPRECIATES ITS CONTENTS, AND THAT EACH HEREBY ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT VOLUNTARILY AND OF THE SIGNATORY’S OWN FREE WILL. 
  

			
	ACCEPTED AND AGREED:
	
	 /s/ Robert Nowinski

	Robert Nowinski
		
	Date:	 	 12/18/13

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