Document:

Exhibit 10.2

 

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

 

This Indemnification Agreement (“Agreement”) is made as of            by and between Ophthotech Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and            (“Indemnitee”). This Agreement supersedes and replaces any and all previous Agreements between the Company and Indemnitee covering the subject matter of this Agreement.

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve publicly-held corporations as directors, officers or in other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance or adequate indemnification against inordinate risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of the corporation;

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that, in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its subsidiaries from certain liabilities. Although the furnishing of such insurance has been a customary and widespread practice among United States-based corporations and other business enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market conditions and trends, such insurance may be available to it in the future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions. At the same time, directors, officers, and other persons in service to corporations or business enterprises are being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the Company or business enterprise itself. The Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (as the same is amended from time to time, the “Certificate of Incorporation”) requires indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company. Indemnitee may also be entitled to indemnification pursuant to the applicable provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”). The Certificate of Incorporation and the DGCL expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the Board, officers and other persons in order to protect such persons against claims and expenses arising from their services on behalf of the Company;

 

WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to such insurance and to indemnification have increased the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons;

 

WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company and its stockholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the future;

 

WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so protected against liabilities;

 

 

WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Certificate of Incorporation and bylaws of the Company in effect from time to time and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder;

 

WHEREAS, Indemnitee does not regard the protection available under the Certificate of Incorporation and insurance as adequate in the present circumstances, and may not be willing to serve as an officer or director without adequate protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve in such capacity; and

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:

 

Section 1.                                           Services to the Company. Indemnitee agrees to serve, or continue to serve, as the case may be, as a director or officer of the Company. Indemnitee may at any time and for any reason resign from such position (subject to any other contractual obligation or any obligation imposed by operation of law), in which event the Company shall have no obligation under this Agreement to continue Indemnitee in such position. This Agreement shall not be deemed an employment contract between the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any Enterprise) and Indemnitee. Indemnitee specifically acknowledges that Indemnitee’s employment with the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any Enterprise), if any, is at will, and the Indemnitee may be discharged at any time for any reason, with or without cause, except as may be otherwise provided in any written employment contract between Indemnitee and the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any Enterprise), other applicable formal severance policies duly adopted by the Board, or, with respect to service as a director or officer of the Company, by the Certificate of Incorporation, the Company’s bylaws, and the DGCL. The foregoing notwithstanding, this Agreement shall continue in force after Indemnitee has ceased to serve as a director or officer of the Company, as provided in Section 16 hereof.

 

Section 2.                                           Definitions. As used in this Agreement:

 

(a)                                 References to “agent” shall mean any person who is or was a director, officer, or employee of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company or other person authorized by the Company to act for the Company, to include such person serving in such capacity as a director, officer, employee, advisor, fiduciary or other official of another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other enterprise at the request of, for the convenience of, or to represent the interests of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company.

 

(b)                                 A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:

 

i.                                          Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Any Person (as defined below) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner (as defined below), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors unless the change in relative Beneficial Ownership of the Company’s

 

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securities by any Person results solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors;

 

ii.                                       Change in Board of Directors. 
 Individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board, and any new director whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors on the date hereof or whose nomination for election was previously so approved (collectively, the “Continuing Directors”), cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board;

 

iii.                                    Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a reorganization, merger or consolidation of the Company (a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, immediately following such Business Combination: (1) all or substantially all of the Persons who were the Beneficial Owners of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 51% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a corporation which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more Subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such Business Combination, of the securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; (2) no Person (excluding any corporation resulting from such Business Combination) is the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of 25% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of such corporation except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to such Business Combination; and (3) at least a majority of the Board of Directors of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination were Continuing Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board of Directors, providing for such Business Combination;

 

iv.                                   Liquidation or Sale of Assets. The approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement or series of agreements for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets (or, if such approval is not required, the decision by the Board to proceed with such liquidation, sale or disposition in one transaction or a series of related transactions); and

 

v.                                      Other Events. There occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or a response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement.

 

For purposes of this Section 2(b), the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

(A)                               “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

 

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(B)                               “Person” shall have the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, that Person shall exclude (i) the Company, (ii) any subsidiary of the Company; (iii) any employment benefit plan of the Company or of a subsidiary or of any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company; (iv) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company described in (iii) above, and (v) any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company.

 

(C)                               “Beneficial Owner” and “Beneficial Ownership” shall have the meaning given to such terms in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that Beneficial Owner shall exclude any Person otherwise becoming a Beneficial Owner by reason of the stockholders of the Company approving a merger of the Company with another entity.

 

(c)                                  “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person as a current or former director or officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or as a current or former director, manager, partner, officer, employee, agent, or trustee of any other entity or enterprise that such person is or was serving at the request of the Company.

 

(d)                                 “Disinterested Director” shall mean a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.

 

(e)                                  “Enterprise” shall mean the Company and any other corporation, constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger to which the Company (or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries) is a party, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, partner, managing member, employee, agent or fiduciary.

 

(f)                                   “Expenses” shall include all reasonable direct and indirect costs, fees and expenses of any type or nature whatsoever, including, without limitation, all attorneys’ fees and expenses, retainers, court costs, arbitration and mediation costs, transcript costs, fees and expenses of experts and other professionals, costs of collecting and producing documents, witness fees, travel expenses, fees of private investigators and professional advisors, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees and any other amounts that Indemnitee becomes legally obligated to pay (including any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement, ERISA excise taxes and penalties), and all other disbursements, obligations or expenses incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, appealing or otherwise

 

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participating in, a Proceeding or responding to, or objecting to, a request to provide discovery in any Proceeding, including, without limitation, reasonable compensation for time spent by the Indemnitee for which the Indemnitee is not otherwise compensated by the Company or any third party. Expenses also shall include (i) Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, whether formal or informal (including any action by or in the right of the Company), including without limitation the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent, whether civil, criminal, arbitrational, administrative or investigative and (ii) for purposes of Section 14(d) only, Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement, by litigation or otherwise. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.

 

(g)                                  “Independent Counsel” shall mean a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is competent to render an opinion under the applicable law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or any of its subsidiaries or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning the Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.

 

(h)                                 The term “Proceeding” shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, claim, counterclaim, cross claim, demand, discovery request, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, formal or informal investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil (including intentional or unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative, legislative, or investigative (formal or informal) nature, including any appeal therefrom, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party, potential party, non-party witness or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director or officer of the Company, by reason of any action taken by Indemnitee (or a failure to take action by Indemnitee) or of any action (or failure to act) on his or her part while acting pursuant to his or her Corporate Status, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or Expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of Expenses can be provided under this Agreement. If the Indemnitee believes in good faith that a given situation may lead to or culminate in the institution of a Proceeding, the situation shall be considered a Proceeding under this paragraph.

 

(i)                                     Reference to “other enterprise” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise tax assessed with respect to any employee benefit plan; references to “serving at the request of the Company” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an

 

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employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Company” as referred to in this Agreement.

 

(j)                                    In connection with any merger or consolidation, references to the “Company” shall include not only the resulting or surviving entity, but also any constituent entity or constituent of a constituent entity, which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, employees or agents.  The intent of this provision is that a person who is or was a director of such constituent entity after the date hereof or is or was serving at the request of such constituent entity as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee, advisor or agent of another company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other Enterprise after the date hereof, shall stand in the same position under this Agreement with respect to the resulting or surviving entity as the person would have under this Agreement with respect to such constituent entity if its separate existence had continued.

 

Section 3.                                           Indemnity in Third-Party Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness or otherwise) in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses, judgments, liabilities, damages, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including, without limitation, all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal Proceeding had no reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. The parties hereto intend that this Agreement shall provide to the fullest extent permitted by law for indemnification in excess of that expressly permitted by statute, including, without limitation, any indemnification provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, the bylaws, vote of its stockholders or disinterested directors or applicable law.

 

Section 4.                                           Indemnity in Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness or otherwise) in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration for Expenses shall be made under this Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery (the “Delaware Court”) or any court in which the Proceeding was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the

 

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circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, to be held harmless or to exoneration.

 

Section 5.                                           Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection with or related to each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter to the fullest extent permitted by law. For purposes of this Section and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, on substantive or procedural grounds, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.

 

Section 6.                                           Indemnification For Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a witness or otherwise asked to participate in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, he shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection therewith.

 

Section 7.                                           Partial Indemnification. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of Expenses incurred by Indemnitee or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which Indemnitee is entitled.

 

Section 8.                                           Additional Indemnification, Hold Harmless and Exoneration Rights.

 

(a)                                 Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, or 5, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding.

 

(b)                                 For purposes of Section 8(a), the meaning of the phrase “to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law” shall include, but not be limited to:

 

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i.                                          to the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the DGCL that authorizes or contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any amendment to or replacement of the DGCL, and

 

ii.                                       to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the DGCL adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may indemnify its officers and directors.

 

Section 9.                                           Exclusions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee:

 

(a)                                 for which payment has actually been received by or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount actually received under any insurance policy, contract, agreement, other indemnity provision or otherwise; or

 

(b)                                 for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act (as defined in Section 2(b) hereof) or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law; or

 

(c)                                  except as provided in Section 14(d) of this Agreement, in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation or (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law.

 

Section 10.                                    Advances of Expenses. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary (other than Section 14(d)), the Company shall advance, to the extent not prohibited by applicable law, the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee (or reasonably expected by Indemnitee to be incurred by Indemnitee within three months) in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) not initiated by Indemnitee or any Proceeding initiated by indemnitee with the prior approval of the Board as provided in Section 9(c), and such advancement shall be made within twenty (20) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time. Advances shall be unsecured and interest free. Advances shall be made without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the Expenses and without regard to Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to indemnification, to be held harmless or exonerated under the other provisions of this Agreement. In accordance with Section 14(d), advances shall include any and all reasonable Expenses incurred pursuing a Proceeding to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claimed. The Indemnitee shall qualify for advances, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, upon the execution and delivery to the Company of this Agreement, which shall constitute an undertaking providing that the Indemnitee undertakes to repay the amounts advanced (without interest) to the extent that it

 

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is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company. No other form of undertaking shall be required other than the execution of this Agreement. This Section 10 shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment is excluded pursuant to Section 9.

 

Section 11.                                    Procedure for Notification and Defense of Claim.

 

(a)                                 Indemnitee shall notify the Company in writing of any matter with respect to which Indemnitee intends to exercise his or her indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration or advancement of Expenses rights hereunder as soon as reasonably practicable following the receipt by Indemnitee of written notice thereof. The written notification to the Company shall include a description of the nature of the Proceeding and the facts underlying the Proceeding. To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Secretary of the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification. The failure by Indemnitee to notify the Company hereunder will not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have to Indemnitee hereunder or otherwise than under this Agreement, and any delay in so notifying the Company shall not constitute a waiver by Indemnitee of any rights under this Agreement. The Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification.

 

(b)                                 The Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.

 

(c)                                  Without the Indemnitee’s prior written consent, the Company shall not settle any action, claim or Proceeding (in whole or in part) which would impose any Expense, judgment, fine, penalty, injunction, or limitation on the Indemnitee, or that does not include an unconditional release of Indemnitee from all liability on any matters that are the subject of the Proceeding, or that fails to acknowledge Indemnitee’s denial of all wrongdoing in connection with such matters.

 

Section 12.                                    Procedure Upon Application for Indemnification.

 

(a)                                 Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 11(a), a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case: (i) if a Change in Control shall have occurred, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee; or (ii) if a Change in Control shall not have occurred, (A) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board, (B) by a committee of Disinterested Directors designated by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board, (C) if there are no such Disinterested Directors or, if such Disinterested Directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee or (D) if so directed by the Board, by the stockholders of the Company. The Company promptly will advise Indemnitee in writing with respect to any determination that Indemnitee is or is not entitled to indemnification, including, without limitation, a description of any reason or basis for which

 

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indemnification has been denied.  The only basis upon which a finding that indemnification may not be made is that such indemnification is prohibited by law.  If it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within five (5) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or Expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom. In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 12(a) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 12(b). If a Change in Control shall not have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board, and the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising him or her of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement. If a Change in Control shall have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Board, in which event the preceding sentence shall apply), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement.. In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within ten (10) days after such written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or the Delaware Court has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20) days after the later of submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof and the final disposition of the Proceeding, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the Delaware Court for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by such court or by such other person as such court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 12(a) hereof. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).

 

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(b)                                 The Company agrees to pay the fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify such counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.

 

Section 13.                                    Presumptions and Effect of Certain Proceedings.

 

(a)                                 In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person or persons or entity making such determination shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 11(a) of this Agreement, and the Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, such presumption shall only be overcome if the Company establishes that there is no reasonable basis to support it. Neither the failure of the Company (including by its directors or Independent Counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by its directors or Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

 

(b)                                 Subject to Section 14(e), if the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 12 of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) final judicial determination that any or all such indemnification is expressly prohibited under applicable law.

 

(c)                                  The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.

 

(d)                                 For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors or officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of

 

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the Board or any director, by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director,. The provisions of this Section 13(d) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which the Indemnitee may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.

 

(e)                                  The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any other director, officer, trustee, partner, managing member, fiduciary, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement.

 

Section 14.                                    Remedies of Indemnitee.

 

(a)                                 Subject to Section 14(e), in the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, is not timely made pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 5, 6 or 7 or the last sentence of Section 12(a) of this Agreement within five (5) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) contribution payment is not made in a timely manner pursuant to Section 22 of this Agreement, (vi) payment of indemnification pursuant to Section 3, 4 or 8 of this Agreement is not made within five (5) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or (vii) in the event that the Company or any other person takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation or other action or Proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from, the Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to the Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by a court of his or her entitlement to such indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or advancement rights. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at his or her option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.

 

(b)                                 In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, Indemnitee shall be presumed to be entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, exonerated and to receive advances of Expenses under this Agreement and the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, exonerated and to receive advances of Expenses, as the case may be, and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company may not refer to or introduce into evidence any determination pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement adverse to Indemnitee for any purpose.

 

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(c)                                  If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to payment, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.

 

(d)                                 The Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement. It is the intent of the Company that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Indemnitee not be required to incur legal fees or other Expenses associated with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement by litigation or otherwise because the cost and expense thereof would substantially detract from the benefits intended to be extended to the Indemnitee hereunder. The Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against any and all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within five (5) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor) advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, such Expenses to Indemnitee, which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action brought by Indemnitee (i) in connection with, to enforce his or her rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement or any other indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement of Expenses or contribution agreement with the Company or provision of the Certificate of Incorporation or bylaws of the Company now or hereafter in effect or (ii) for recovery or advances under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company if, in the case of indemnification, Indemnitee is wholly successful on the underlying claims; if Indemnitee is not wholly successful on the underlying claims, then such indemnification shall be only to the extent Indemnitee is successful on such underlying claims or otherwise as permitted by law, whichever is greater.

 

(e)                                  Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advances until a final determination is made with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification (as to which all rights of appeal have been exhausted or lapsed), and in no event shall determination as to entitlement of Indemnitee to indemnification under this Agreement be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding.

 

(f)                                   Interest shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee at the legal rate under Delaware law for amounts which the Company indemnifies, holds harmless or exonerates, or is obliged to indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate for the period commencing with the date on which Indemnitee requests indemnification, to be held harmless, exonerated, contribution, reimbursement or advancement of any Expenses and ending with the date on which such payment is made to Indemnitee by the Company.

 

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Section 15.                                    Non-exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Subrogation.

 

(a)                                 The rights of Indemnitee as provided by this Agreement (i) shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise and (ii) shall be enforced and this Agreement shall be interpreted independently of and without reference to or limitation or constraint (whether procedural, substantive or otherwise) by any other such rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any Proceeding (regardless of when such proceeding is first threatened, commenced or completed) arising out of, or related to, any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his or her Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in applicable law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Certificate of Incorporation and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.

 

(b)                                 To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, or agents of the Company or of any other Enterprise (collectively, “D&O Insurance”), Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, employee or agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a claim pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company has D&O Insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such claim or of the commencement of a Proceeding, as the case may be, to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies. The purchase, establishment, and maintenance of any such D&O Insurance shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or of the Indemnitee under this Agreement except as expressly provided herein, and the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and the Indemnitee shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or the other party or parties thereto under any such D&O Insurance.

 

(c)                                  In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.

 

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(d)                                 The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable (or for which advancement is provided hereunder) hereunder if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, (i) Indemnitee shall have no obligation to reduce, offset, allocate, pursue or apportion any indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement, contribution or insurance coverage among multiple parties possessing such duties to Indemnitee prior to the Company’s satisfaction and performance of all its obligations under this Agreement, and (ii) the Company shall perform fully its obligations under this Agreement without regard to whether Indemnitee holds, may pursue or has pursued any indemnification, advancement, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or insurance coverage rights against any person or entity other than the Company.

 

Section 16.                                    Duration of Agreement. This Agreement shall continue during the period Indemnitee serves as a director or officer of the Company or as a director, officer, trustee, partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee, advisor or agent of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise which Indemnitee serves at the request of the Company and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any possible Proceeding (including any rights of appeal thereto and any Proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14 of this Agreement by reason of his or her Corporate Status, whether or not Indemnitee is acting in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification can be provided under this Agreement. The indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration and advancement of Expenses rights provided by or granted pursuant to this Agreement shall be binding upon and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company), shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or of any other Enterprise, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and his or her spouse, assigns, heirs, devisees, executors and administrators and other legal representatives. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.

 

Section 17.                                    Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal

 

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or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.

 

Section 18.                                    Enforcement.

 

(a)                                 The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director or officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving or continuing to serve as a director or officer of the Company.

 

(b)                                 Without limiting any of the rights of Indemnitee under the Certificate of Incorporation or by-laws of the Company as each may be amended from time to time and except as provided in Section 15(a), this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

Section 19.                                    Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.

 

Section 20.                                    Notice by Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to the Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise.

 

Section 21.                                    Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (a) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, (b) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed, (c) mailed by reputable overnight courier and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed or (d) sent by email or facsimile transmission, with receipt of oral confirmation that such transmission has been received:

 

(a)                                 If to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement, or such other address as Indemnitee shall provide to the Company.

 

(b)                                 If to the Company to:

 

Ophthotech Corporation
 One Penn Plaza
 19th Floor

 

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New York, NY 10119
 Attention:  General Counsel

 

or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company.

 

Section 22.                                    Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification, hold harmless and/or exoneration rights provided for in this Agreement are unavailable to Indemnitee in whole or in part for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying, holding harmless or exonerating Indemnitee, shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment, and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have at any time against Indemnitee.  The Company hereby agrees to fully indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee from any claims for contribution which may be brought by officers, directors or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who may be jointly liable with Indemnitee.

 

Section 23.                                    Applicable Law and Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Delaware Court, and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country, (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, (iii) appoint, to the extent such party is not otherwise subject to service of process in the State of Delaware, irrevocably The Corporation Trust Company as its agent in the State of Delaware as such party’s agent for acceptance of legal process in connection with any such action or proceeding against such party with the same legal force and validity as if served upon such party personally within the State of Delaware, (iv) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court, and (v) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum.

 

Section 24.                                    Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.

 

Section 25.                                    Miscellaneous. Use of the masculine pronoun shall be deemed to include usage of the feminine pronoun where appropriate. The headings of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.

 

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Section 26.                                    Additional Acts.  If for the validation of any of the provisions in this Agreement any act, resolution, approval or other procedure is required, the Company undertakes to cause such act, resolution, approval or other procedure to be affected or adopted in a manner that will enable the Company to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement.

 

[The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.]

 

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The parties executed this Agreement as of the day and year first set forth above.

 

	
OPHTHOTECH   CORPORATION
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Name:
    	
 
    
	
Office:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
INDEMNITEE
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Name:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
Address:Exhibit

	
			
	

	 
	Exhibit 10.53

May 20, 2016

Kevin Young
1100 Oak Mirage Place
Westlake Village, CA 91362

Dear Kevin,

I am very pleased to welcome you to your new role as Gilead’s Chief Operating Officer effective May 24, 2016.  I am looking forward to partnering with you as we move Gilead forward.  In accordance with this opportunity, the key employment terms are outlined below:

Your salary on an annualized basis will be $1,050,000, less taxes, payable bi-weekly.

 (i)  Stock Option Grant. Subject to the approval of the Compensation Committee, you will be granted $1,750,000 in stock options under the Gilead Sciences, Inc. 2004 Equity Incentive Plan to purchase shares of Gilead Sciences, Inc. (‘Gilead”) common stock with an exercise price equal to the fair market value of Gilead common stock at the time of grant.  The actual number of stock options you receive will be based on the 30-day fair market value average as of the first of the month in which your grant is approved.  The exercise price for your stock options will be no less than the fair market value per share of Gilead Sciences, Inc. common stock on the grant date. The fair market value per share for that date will be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Plan in effect for your grant. You will be notified of the details after your options have been granted. Your options will vest and become exercisable for 25% of the option shares upon your completion of one year of employment with Gilead, measured from the grant date, and will vest and become exercisable for the balance of the option shares in a series of successive equal quarterly installments upon your completion of each successive three-month period of continued employment with Gilead over the next three years. The options will have a maximum term of ten years, subject to earlier termination following your cessation of employment.

(ii)  Restricted Stock Units. Subject to the approval of the Compensation Committee, you will also be awarded $1,750,000 in restricted stock units under the Plan at the same time your stock option grant is made. Your restricted stock units will be performance-based which means that you will not vest in those units unless (i) you attain the performance goals established for you within the first 30 days of your accepting this new role and (ii) you continue in Gilead's employ until the completion of the applicable performance period, subject to pro-rated vesting in the event of your death or permanent disability. The performance period for each of your goals will be set at the time the goal is established and approved by the Compensation Committee, and the combined performance period for all of your goals will usually not exceed five years. To the extent a performance goal is not attained within the established performance period for that goal, the restricted stock units tied to that performance goal will be forfeited. For each restricted stock unit which vests in accordance with such vesting provisions, you will receive one share of Gilead common stock following the completion of the applicable performance period and the Compensation Committee's certification of the attained performance goals. However, the issuance of those vested shares will be subject to Gilead’s collection of the applicable withholding taxes. 

	
			
	

	 
	Exhibit 10.53

You will continue to be eligible to participate in an annual corporate bonus program based on individual and company performance. Your target bonus will be 95% of annual salary, less taxes. The actual payout can range from 0% to 150% of this target based on your performance against your annual goals and objectives, as well as the company’s overall performance.  Your year-end bonus will be pro-rated to reflect the time served at each target bonus level.

You will also continue participating in Gilead's equity award program under which you will be considered for annual awards in the combined form of stock option grants and performance stock unit awards.

Also as part of your employment arrangement, we will provide air transportation associated with your commuting to and from Los Angeles. 

The effective date of your new role will be May 24, 2016.  I am very excited about you taking on this role and look forward to your continued contributions to Gilead’s long-term success.

Sincerely,

/s/ John F. Milligan
John Milligan
President and CEO

Signature: _/s/ Kevin Young_______________

Date: __5-22-2016_______________________

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