Document:

ex_321035.htm

Exhibit 4.1

 

FORM OF 

 

PRE-FUNDED COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT

 

ARAVIVE, INC.

 

	Warrant Shares: 4,545,455	Initial Issuance Date: January 5, 2022

 

 

THIS PRE-FUNDED COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT (the “Warrant”) certifies that, for value received, Eshelman Ventures, LLC, a North Carolina limited liability company, or its assigns (the “Holder”) is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the limitations on exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after the date hereof (the “Initial Issuance Date”) and until this Warrant is exercised in full (the “Termination Date”) but not thereafter, to subscribe for and purchase from Aravive, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), up to 4,545,455 shares (as subject to adjustment hereunder, the “Warrant Shares”) of Common Stock. The purchase price of one Warrant Share shall be equal to the Exercise Price, as defined in Section 2(b).

 

Section 1. Definitions.  In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Warrant, the following terms have the meanings indicated in this Section 1:

 

“Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

“Bid Price” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the bid price of the Common Stock for the time in question (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b)  if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported on the Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

“Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed.

 

 

 

 

 

“Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.

 

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

 

“Investment Agreement” means the Investment Agreement, dated January 3, 2022, by and between the Company and Eshelman Ventures, LLC.

 

“Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

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

 

“Stockholder Approval” has the definition set forth in Section 2(f) hereof.

 

“Subsidiaries” means the Company’s consolidated subsidiaries, including, but not limited to, Aravive Biologics, Inc., and shall, where applicable, also include any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company formed or acquired after the date hereof.

 

“Trading Day” means a day on which the Common Stock is traded on a Trading Market.

 

“Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market or the New York Stock Exchange, OTCQB or OTCQX (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

 

“Transfer Agent” means American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, the current transfer agent of the Company with a mailing address of 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11219, a phone number of (415) 366-8087 and an email address of thill@astfinancial.com, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.

 

“VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b)  if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported on the Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent Bid Price per share of the Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

2

 

 

“Warrant” means this Warrant issued by the Company pursuant to the Investment Agreement.

 

Section 2. Exercise.

 

a) Exercise of Warrant.  Subject to the provisions of Sections 2(e) herein, exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant may be made, in whole or in part, at any time or times on or after the Initial Issuance Date and on or before the Termination Date by delivery to the Company of a duly executed facsimile copy or PDF copy submitted by e-mail (or e-mail attachment) of the Notice of Exercise in the form annexed hereto (the “Notice of Exercise”). Within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period (as defined in Section 2(d)(i) herein) following the date of exercise as aforesaid, the Holder shall deliver the aggregate Exercise Price for the Warrant Shares specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise by wire transfer or cashier’s check drawn on a United States bank unless the cashless exercise procedure specified in Section 2(c) below is specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise. No ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise be required.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company until the Holder has purchased all of the Warrant Shares available hereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company for cancellation within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the final Notice of Exercise is delivered to the Company. Partial exercises of this Warrant resulting in purchases of a portion of the total number of Warrant Shares available hereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding number of Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder in an amount equal to the applicable number of Warrant Shares purchased.  The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the number of Warrant Shares purchased and the date of such purchases. The Company shall deliver any objection to any Notice of Exercise within one (1) Trading Day of receipt of such notice.  The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of this Warrant, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following the purchase of a portion of the Warrant Shares hereunder, the number of Warrant Shares available for purchase hereunder at any given time may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.

 

b) Exercise Price.  The aggregate exercise price of this Warrant, except for a nominal exercise price of $0.0001 per Warrant Share, was pre-funded to the Company on or prior to the Initial Issuance Date and, consequently, no additional consideration (other than the nominal exercise price of $0.0001 per Warrant Share) shall be required to be paid by the Holder to any Person to effect any exercise of this Warrant. The Holder shall not be entitled to the return or refund of all, or any portion, of such pre-paid aggregate exercise price under any circumstance or for any reason whatsoever. The remaining unpaid exercise price per share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be $0.0001, subject to adjustment hereunder (the “Exercise Price”).  

 

3

 

 

c) Cashless Exercise. If at the time of exercise hereof there is no effective registration statement registering, or the prospectus contained therein is not available for the issuance of the Warrant Shares to the Holder, then this Warrant may also be exercised, in whole or in part, at such time by means of a “cashless exercise” in which the Holder shall be entitled to receive a number of Warrant Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:

 

 (A) = as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b)(68) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws) on such Trading Day, (ii) at the option of the Holder, either (y) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise or (z) the Bid Price of the Common Stock on the principal Trading Market as reported by Bloomberg L.P. as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof after the close of “regular trading hours” on such Trading Day;

 

(B) = the Exercise Price of this Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and

 

 (X) = the number of Warrant Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise.

 

If Warrant Shares are issued in such a cashless exercise, the parties acknowledge and agree that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, the Warrant Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised.  The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 2(c).

 

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, immediately upon obtaining Stockholder Approval, the Holder shall have ten (10) days to exercise this Warrant pursuant to Section 2(d). If such exercise does not occur on tenth (10th) day following Stockholder Approval, this Warrant shall be automatically exercised via cashless exercise pursuant to this Section 2(c).

 

4

 

 

d) Mechanics of Exercise.

 

i. Delivery of Warrant Shares Upon Exercise. The Company shall cause the Warrant Shares purchased hereunder to be transmitted by the Transfer Agent to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“DWAC”) if the Company is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Warrant Shares to or resale of the Warrant Shares by the Holder or (B) this Warrant is being exercised via cashless exercise, and otherwise by physical delivery of a certificate (if such shares are certificated), registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise by the date that is the earliest of (i) two (2) Trading Days after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise, provided that payment of the aggregate Exercise Price (other than in the instance of a cashless exercise) is received by the Company by such date, (ii) one (1) Trading Day after delivery of the aggregate Exercise Price to the Company and (iii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise (such date, the “Warrant Share Delivery Date”) provided that payment of the aggregate Exercise Price (other than in the instance of a cashless exercise) is received by the Company by such date. Upon delivery of the Notice of Exercise, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record of the Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date of delivery of the Warrant Shares, provided that payment of the aggregate Exercise Price (other than in the case of a cashless exercise) is received within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period following delivery of the Notice of Exercise. If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant Shares subject to a Notice of Exercise by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares subject to such exercise (based on the VWAP of the Common Stock on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the fifth Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day after such Warrant Share Delivery Date until such Warrant Shares are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise. The Company agrees to maintain a transfer agent that is a participant in the FAST program so long as this Warrant remains outstanding and exercisable. As used herein, “Standard Settlement Period” means the standard settlement period, expressed in a number of Trading Days, on the Company’s primary Trading Market with respect to the Common Stock as in effect on the date of delivery of the Notice of Exercise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Notice(s) of Exercise delivered on or prior to 12:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Initial Exercise Date, which may be delivered at any time after the time of execution of the Investment Agreement, the Company agrees to deliver the Warrant Shares subject to such notice(s) by 4:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Initial Exercise Date and the Initial Exercise Date shall be the Warrant Share Delivery Date for purposes hereunder.

 

5

 

 

ii. Delivery of New Warrants Upon Exercise.  If this Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the request of a Holder and upon surrender of this Warrant certificate, at the time of delivery of the Warrant Shares, deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to purchase the unpurchased Warrant Shares called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Warrant.

 

iii. Rescission Rights.  If the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares pursuant to Section 2(d)(i) by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise.

 

iv. Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Warrant Shares Upon Exercise.  In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(d)(i) above pursuant to an exercise on or before the Warrant Share Delivery Date (other than any such failure that is solely due to any action or inaction by the Holder with respect to such exercise), and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder.  For example, if the Holder purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of shares of Common Stock with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss.  Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

6

 

 

v. No Fractional Shares or Scrip.  No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant.  As to any fraction of a share which the Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall, at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Exercise Price or round up to the next whole share.

 

vi. Charges, Taxes and Expenses.  Issuance of Warrant Shares shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of such Warrant Shares, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and such Warrant Shares shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided, however, that in the event that Warrant Shares are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, this Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto.  The Company shall pay all Transfer Agent fees required for same-day processing of any Notice of Exercise and all fees to the Depository Trust Company (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) required for same-day electronic delivery of the Warrant Shares.

 

vii. Closing of Books.  The Company will not close its stockholder books or records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

7

 

 

e) Holder’s Exercise Limitations.  Unless and until the requisite Stockholder Approval is obtained, the Company shall not effect any exercise of this Warrant, and a Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to Section 2 or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after exercise as set forth on the applicable Notice of Exercise, the Holder (together with the Holder’s Affiliates, and any other Persons acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s Affiliates (such Persons, “Attribution Parties”)), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below).  For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and its Affiliates and Attribution Parties shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of shares of Common Stock which would be issuable upon (i) exercise of the remaining, nonexercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or nonconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any other  Common Stock Equivalents) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties.  Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 2(e), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Company is not representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith.   To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 2(e) applies, the determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the submission of a Notice of Exercise shall be deemed to be the Holder’s determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable, in each case subject to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination.  In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.  For purposes of this Section 2(e), in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, a Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the Commission, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding.  Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Company shall within one Trading Day confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding.  In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder or its Affiliates or Attribution Parties since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported.  The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 19.99% of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant.   The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 2(e) to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended Beneficial Ownership Limitation herein contained or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant.

 

8

 

 

Any purported exercise of the Warrants (and delivery of the Warrant Shares upon exercise of the Warrants) will be void and have no effect to the extent, but only to the extent, that such exercise and delivery would result in any Holder becoming the beneficial owner of shares of Common Stock outstanding at such time in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (unless the Stockholder Approval has been obtained).

 

f) Stockholder Approval. As soon as practicable following the Initial Issuance Date, the Company shall hold an annual or special meeting of stockholders (the “Stockholder Meeting”) for the purpose of obtaining the approval from the Company’s stockholders in accordance with Rule 5635 of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (the “Stockholder Approval”), for the issuance of all of the Warrant Shares issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant (the “Transaction”) without any Beneficial Ownership Limitation. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to hold the Stockholder Meeting no later than one hundred and twenty (120) days following the Initial Issuance Date (one hundred and fifty days (150) if the SEC reviews the proxy statement for the annual or special meeting). The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the Stockholder Approval of the Transaction and shall cause the Board of Directors of the Company to recommend to the stockholder that they approve such matter. If, despite the Company’s reasonable best efforts Stockholder Approval of the Transaction is not effected on or prior to May 5, 2022, the Company shall cause an additional stockholder meeting to be held every six (6) months thereafter until such Stockholder Approval is obtained.

 

Section 3. Certain Adjustments.

 

a) Stock Dividends and Splits. If the Company, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding: (i) pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions on shares of its Common Stock or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in shares of Common Stock (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon exercise of this Warrant), (ii) subdivides outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of reverse stock split) outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (iv) issues by reclassification of shares of the Common Stock any shares of capital stock of the Company, then in each case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event, and the number of shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant shall be proportionately adjusted such that the aggregate Exercise Price of this Warrant shall remain unchanged.  Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 3(a) shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re‐classification.

 

9

 

 

b) Subsequent Rights Offerings.  In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 3(a) above, if during such time as this Warrant is outstanding the Company grants, issues or sells any Common Stock Equivalents or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to all of the record holders of any class of shares of Common Stock (the “Purchase Rights”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to such extent (or beneficial ownership of such shares of Common Stock as a result of such Purchase Right to such extent) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance for the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).

 

c) Pro Rata Distributions.  During such time as this Warrant is outstanding, if the Company shall declare or make any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to all holders of shares of Common Stock, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of cash, stock or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin-off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date of which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder's right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent (or in the beneficial ownership of any shares of Common Stock as a result of such Distribution to such extent) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).  

 

10

 

 

d) Fundamental Transaction. If, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (ii) the Company, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Common Stock are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Common Stock is effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off, merger or scheme of arrangement) with another Person or group of Persons whereby such other Person or group acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not including any shares of Common Stock held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then, upon any subsequent exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Warrant Share that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction, at the option of the Holder (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant), the number of shares of Common Stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration (the “Alternate Consideration”) receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant).  For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one share of Common Stock in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration.  If holders of Common Stock are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction.  The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “Successor Entity”) to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3(d) pursuant to written agreements in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and approved by the Holder (without unreasonable delay) prior to such Fundamental Transaction and shall, at the option of the Holder, deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the shares of Common Stock acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the shares of Common Stock pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction), and which is reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Holder. Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein.  For the avoidance of doubt, if, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding, a Fundamental Transaction occurs, pursuant to the terms of this Section 3(d), the Holder shall not be entitled to receive more than one of (i) the consideration receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction, or (ii) the assumption by the Successor Entity of all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant and the option to receive a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant.

 

11

 

 

e) [Reserved.]

 

f) Calculations. All calculations under this Section 3 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 3, the number of shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding.

 

g) Notice to Holder.  

 

i. Adjustment to Exercise Price. Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 3, the Company shall promptly deliver to the Holder by facsimile or email a notice setting forth the Exercise Price after such adjustment and any resulting adjustment to the number of Warrant Shares and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company may satisfy this notice requirement in this Section 3(g)(i) by filing such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K or Quarterly or Annual Report on Form 10-Q or Form 10-K, respectively.

 

12

 

 

ii. Notice to Allow Exercise by Holder. If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Common Stock, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Common Stock, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the Common Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any stockholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Common Stock (other than a reverse stock split), any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or any compulsory share exchange whereby the Common Stock is converted into other securities, cash or property, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be delivered by facsimile or email to the Holder at its last facsimile number or email address as it shall appear upon the Warrant Register of the Company, at least five (5) calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, a notice (unless such information is filed with the Commission, in which case a notice shall not be required) stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Common Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of the Common Stock for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to deliver such notice or any defect therein or in the delivery thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice.  To the extent that any notice provided in this Warrant constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K.  The Holder shall remain entitled to exercise this Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein.

 

Section 4. Transfer of Warrant.

 

a) Transferability.  This Warrant and all rights hereunder are transferable, in whole or in part, upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal office of the Company or its designated agent, together with a written assignment of this Warrant substantially in the form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder or its agent or attorney and funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes payable upon the making of such transfer.  Upon such surrender and, if required, such payment, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in the name of the assignee or assignees, as applicable, and in the denomination or denominations specified in such instrument of assignment, and shall issue to the assignor a new Warrant evidencing the portion of this Warrant not so assigned, and this Warrant shall promptly be cancelled.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company unless the Holder has assigned this Warrant in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the Holder delivers an Assignment Form to the Company assigning this Warrant in full.  This Warrant, if properly assigned in accordance herewith, may be exercised by a new holder for the purchase of Warrant Shares without having a new Warrant issued.  

 

13

 

 

b) New Warrants. This Warrant may be divided or combined with other Warrants upon presentation hereof at the aforesaid office of the Company, together with a written notice specifying the names and denominations in which new Warrants are to be issued, signed by the Holder or its agent or attorney.  Subject to compliance with Section 4(a), as to any transfer which may be involved in such division or combination, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in exchange for the Warrant or Warrants to be divided or combined in accordance with such notice. All Warrants issued on transfers or exchanges shall be dated the Initial Issuance Date of this Warrant and shall be identical with this Warrant except as to the number of Warrant Shares issuable pursuant thereto.

 

c) Warrant Register. The Company shall register this Warrant, upon records to be maintained by the Company for that purpose (the “Warrant Register”), in the name of the record Holder hereof from time to time.  The Company may deem and treat the registered Holder of this Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of any exercise hereof or any distribution to the Holder, and for all other purposes, absent actual notice to the contrary.

 

Section 5. Miscellaneous.

 

a) No Rights as Stockholder Until Exercise; No Settlement in Cash.  This Warrant does not entitle the Holder to any voting rights, dividends or other rights as a stockholder of the Company prior to the exercise hereof as set forth in Section 2(d)(i), except as expressly set forth in Section 3.  Without limiting the rights of a Holder to receive Warrant Shares on a “cashless exercise,” and to receive the cash payments contemplated pursuant to Sections 2(d)(i) and 2(d)(iv), in no event, including if the Company is for any reason unable to issue and deliver Warrant Shares upon exercise of this Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof, shall the Company be required to net cash settle an exercise of this Warrant or cash settle in any other form.

 

b) Loss, Theft, Destruction or Mutilation of Warrant. The Company covenants that upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant or any stock certificate relating to the Warrant Shares, and in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it (which, in the case of the Warrant, shall not include the posting of any bond), and upon surrender and cancellation of such Warrant or stock certificate, if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Warrant or stock certificate of like tenor and dated as of such cancellation, in lieu of such Warrant or stock certificate.

 

14

 

 

c) Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc.  If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Trading Day, then, such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Trading Day.

 

d) Authorized Shares.  

 

The Company covenants that, during the period this Warrant is outstanding, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of any purchase rights under this Warrant.  The Company further covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of issuing the necessary Warrant Shares upon the exercise of the purchase rights under this Warrant.  The Company will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the Trading Market upon which the Common Stock may be listed.  The Company covenants that all Warrant Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant and payment for such Warrant Shares in accordance herewith, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges created by the Company in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).  

 

Except and to the extent as waived or consented to by the Holder, the Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation, amending its certificate of incorporation or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of Holder as set forth in this Warrant against impairment.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will (i) not increase the par value of any Warrant Shares above the amount payable therefor upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (ii) take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Warrant Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant and

 

(iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof, as may be, necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.

 

15

 

 

Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment in the number of Warrant Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable or in the Exercise Price, the Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof.

 

e) Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Warrant (whether brought against a party hereto or their respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the State of Delaware. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the State of Delaware for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Warrant and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. If either party shall commence an action, suit or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Warrant, the prevailing party in such action, suit or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for their reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this paragraph shall limit or restrict the federal district court in which a Holder may bring a claim under the federal securities laws.

 

f) Restrictions.  The Holder acknowledges that the Warrant Shares acquired upon the exercise of this Warrant, if not registered, and the Holder does not utilize cashless exercise, will have restrictions upon resale imposed by state and federal securities laws.

 

g) Nonwaiver and Expenses.  No course of dealing or any delay or failure to exercise any right hereunder on the part of Holder shall operate as a waiver of such right or otherwise prejudice the Holder’s rights, powers or remedies.  Without limiting any other provision of this Warrant, if the Company willfully and knowingly fails to comply with any provision of this Warrant, which results in any material damages to the Holder, the Company shall pay to the Holder such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover any costs and expenses including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees, including those of appellate proceedings, incurred by the Holder in collecting any amounts due pursuant hereto or in otherwise enforcing any of its rights, powers or remedies hereunder.

 

16

 

 

h) Notices.  Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Holders hereunder including, without limitation, any Notice of Exercise, shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile or e-mail, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, addressed to the Company, at River Oaks Tower, 3730 Kirby Drive, Suite 1200, Houston, Texas 77098, Attention: Chief Executive Officer, facsimile number (650) 376-0086, E-mail: gail@aravive.com, or such other facsimile number, email address or address as the Company may specify for such purposes by notice to the Holders. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Company hereunder shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile or e-mail, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service addressed to each Holder at the facsimile number, e-mail address or address of such Holder appearing on the books of the Company. Any notice or other communication or deliveries hereunder shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or via e-mail at the e-mail address set forth in this Section prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any date, (ii) the next Trading Day after the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or via e-mail at the e-mail address set forth in this Section on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (iii) the second Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given.  To the extent that any notice provided hereunder constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

i) Limitation of Liability.  No provision hereof, in the absence of any affirmative action by the Holder to exercise this Warrant to purchase Warrant Shares, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of the Holder, shall give rise to any liability of the Holder for the purchase price of any Common Stock or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company.

 

j) Remedies.  The Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Warrant.  The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Warrant and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.

 

k) Successors and Assigns.  Subject to applicable securities laws, this Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of the Company and the successors and permitted assigns of Holder.  The provisions of this Warrant are intended to be for the benefit of any Holder from time to time of this Warrant and shall be enforceable by the Holder or holder of Warrant Shares.

 

17

 

 

l) Amendment.  This Warrant may be modified or amended or the provisions hereof waived with the written consent of the Company, on the one hand, and the Holder, on the other hand.

 

m) Severability.  Wherever possible, each provision of this Warrant shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Warrant shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provisions or the remaining provisions of this Warrant.

 

n) Headings.  The headings used in this Warrant are for the convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed a part of this Warrant.

 

 

********************

 

(Signature Page Follows)

 

18

 

 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above indicated.

 

	
			 

				
			ARAVIVE, INC. 

				
			 

			
	 	 	 
	
			 

				
			 

				
			 

				
			 

			
	
			 

				
			By: 

				
			 

				
			 

			
	
			 

				
			 

				
			Name:

			Title: 

				
			 

			

 

19

 

 

NOTICE OF EXERCISE

 

TO: ARAVIVE, INC.

 

(1) The undersigned hereby elects to purchase ________ Warrant Shares of the Company pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant (only if exercised in full), and tenders herewith payment of the exercise price in full, together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any.

 

(2) Payment shall take the form of (check applicable box):

 

[  ] in lawful money of the United States; or

 

[  ] if permitted the cancellation of such number of Warrant Shares as is necessary, in accordance with the formula set forth in subsection 2(c), to exercise this Warrant with respect to the maximum number of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth in subsection 2(c).

 

(3) Please issue said Warrant Shares in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:

 

_______________________________

 

 

The Warrant Shares shall be delivered to the following DWAC Account Number:

 

_______________________________

 

_______________________________

 

_______________________________

 

 

[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]

 

Name of Investing Entity:

 

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity: 

 

Name of Authorized Signatory: 

 

Title of Authorized Signatory: 

 

Date: 

 

 

20

 

 

ASSIGNMENT FORM

 

(To assign the foregoing Warrant, execute this form and supply required information.  Do not use this form to purchase shares.)

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby are hereby assigned to

 

	
			Name:

				 	
			 

			
	 	 	
			(Please Print)

			
	 	 	 
	
			Address:

				 	
			 

			
	
			                                                         

				 	
			(Please Print)

			
	 	 	 
	
			Phone Number:

				 	 
	 	 	 
	
			Email Address:    

				 	 
	 	 	 
	
			Dated: _______________ __, ______

				 	 
	 	 	 
	
			Holder’s Signature: ___________________

				 	 
	 	 	 
	
			Holder’s Address: ____________________

				 	 

 

21ex_321036.htm

Exhibit 10.1

 

 

EXECUTION VERSION

 

INVESTMENT AGREEMENT

 

THIS INVESTMENT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into on January 3, 2022, by and among Eshelman Ventures, LLC, a North Carolina limited liability company (the “Investor”), Aravive, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and, solely for purposes of Article IV and Article V, Fredric N. Eshelman, Pharm.D. (“Eshelman”).  

 

WITNESSETH:

 

WHEREAS, the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”) has determined that it is advisable and in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to offer the Investor the right to purchase a Pre-Funded Warrant (as defined below) to purchase shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement; and

 

WHEREAS, the Investor is wholly owned by Eshelman.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual terms and other agreements set forth herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

SALE AND PURCHASE

 

Section 1.1 Purchase and Sale of the Securities.  The Company agrees to sell and issue to the Investor, and the Investor agrees to purchase and accept from the Company a pre-funded warrant in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto (the “Pre-Funded Warrant”) to purchase up to 4,545,455 shares of Common Stock (the “Pre-Funded Warrant Shares” and, collectively with the “Pre-Funded Warrant”, the “Purchased Securities”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not issue and sell, and the Investor shall not purchase, any Pre-Funded Warrant Shares in excess of any amount that would otherwise violate the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) as further described in Section 4.4 of this Agreement.

 

Section 1.2 Closing.  The closing of the sale and purchase of the Purchased Securities (the “Closing”) shall take place remotely via the exchange of documents and signatures at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on January 5, 2022, or such other time mutually agreed upon by the Investor and the Company.   

 

Section 1.3 Purchase Price; Delivery of Purchased Securities.  At the Closing, (a) the Investor shall deliver to the Company cash in an aggregate amount equal to $10,000,0001, payable by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account or accounts specified by the Company, and (b) the Company shall deliver the Pre-Funded Warrant in the form of a physical certificate.

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE II

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

 

The Company represents and warrants to the Investor, as of the Closing, as follows:

 

Section 2.1 Organization, Good Standing, Corporate Power and Qualification.  The Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has all requisite corporate power and authority to carry on its business as presently conducted.  The Company is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, assets, properties or results of operations.

 

Section 2.2 Issuance of the Purchased Securities.  

 

(a) The Pre-Funded Warrant upon delivery will have been duly executed by the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

 

(b) The Pre-Funded Warrant Shares, when issued, sold and delivered in accordance with the terms and for the consideration set forth in this Agreement and the Pre-Funded Warrant, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free of restrictions on transfer other than restrictions on transfer set forth in this Agreement, applicable state, federal or foreign securities laws and liens or encumbrances created by or imposed by the Investor or its affiliates. 

 

(c) Assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Investor in Article III of this Agreement, the Purchased Securities will be issued in compliance with all applicable state, federal and foreign securities laws.

 

Section 2.3 Authorization; Validity of Agreement.  The Company has the corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out its obligations hereunder.  This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Investor and Eshelman, is a valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganizations, fraudulent transfer or similar laws relating to or affecting creditors generally or by general equitable principles (whether applied in equity or at law).  The execution and delivery of, and the performance of the Company’s obligations under, this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by the affirmative vote of a majority of the fully informed, disinterested members of the Board, in accordance with Section 144 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”).  Except as described in Section 4.4 of this Agreement, no other corporate proceedings are necessary for the execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement, the performance by it of its obligations hereunder or the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby.  

 

 

 

 

Section 2.4 No Conflict or Violation.  The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of each of this Agreement and the Pre-Funded Warrant does not trigger any pre-emptive or similar rights, does not violate or conflict with any provision of its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, or its Amended and Restated Bylaws, and does not violate any provision of law, or any order, judgment or decree of any court or other governmental or regulatory authority, nor violate or result in a breach of or constitute (with due notice or lapse of time or both) a default under any material contract, lease, loan agreement, mortgage, security agreement or other material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.

 

Section 2.5 Capitalization. The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 100,000,000 shares of Common Stock, and 5,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Preferred Stock”). As of December 31, 2021, 21,039,594 shares of Common Stock were issued and outstanding and no shares of Preferred Stock were issued or outstanding. All of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid, and nonassessable. The Company does not have outstanding any options to purchase, or any preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, any securities or obligations convertible into, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell, shares of its capital stock or any such options, rights, convertible securities or obligations other than awards and purchase rights granted under the Company’s stock option plans and its employee stock purchase plan and warrants to purchase Common Stock described in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

 

Section 2.6 Consents and Approvals.  Assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties made by the Investor in Article III of this Agreement, no consent, approval, order or authorization of, or registration, qualification, designation, declaration or filing with, any federal, state, local or foreign governmental authority is required on the part of the Company in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, except for the filing with the SEC, as defined below, of a Current Report on Form 8-K, and, if applicable, the filing of a Listing of Additional Shares Notification Form with the Nasdaq Global Select Market with respect to the Purchased Securities and filings pursuant to Regulation D of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and applicable state securities laws, all of which have been made or will be made in a timely manner. The Board of the Company has taken and will take all actions necessary to ensure that the restrictions applicable to business combinations contained in Section 203 of the DGCL are, and will be, inapplicable to the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Pre-Funded Warrant, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby.

 

 

 

 

Section 2.7 Absence of Litigation. As of the date hereof, there is no action, suit, proceeding or investigation before or by any court, public board, government agency, self-regulatory organization or body pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company that if determined adversely to the Company would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, assets, properties or results of operations or would reasonably be expected to impair the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement. To the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated any investigation by the SEC of the Company or any director or executive officer of the Company. The Company has not received any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or the Securities Act and, to the Company’s knowledge, the SEC has not issued any such order.

 

Section 2.8 No Material Adverse Change. Since September 30, 2021, except as described in the Company’s filings with the SEC and except for cash expenditures in the ordinary course of business, there has not been any change in the assets, business, properties, financial condition or results of operations of the Company that would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company. Since September 30, 2021, (a) there has not been any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock, (b) the Company has not sustained any material loss or interference with the Company’s business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, and (c) the Company has not incurred any material liabilities except in the ordinary course of business.

 

Section 2.9 No Broker.  There are no claims for brokerage commissions or finder’s fees or similar compensation in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement based on any arrangement made by or on behalf of the Company.

 

Section 2.10 No Material Misstatements or Omissions.  None of the documents filed with the SEC by the Company during the twelve months immediately prior to the Closing contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

ARTICLE III

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE INVESTOR

 

The Investor represents and warrants to the Company, as of the Closing, as follows:

 

Section 3.1 Organization, Good Standing, Corporate Power and Qualification.  The Investor is a limited liability company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of North Carolina and has all requisite limited liability company power and authority to carry on its business as presently conducted.  The Investor is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would have a material adverse effect on the Investor’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement.   Eshelman is the sole member of the Investor, and no other Person owns any equity interest in, or has a right to acquire any equity interest in, the Investor.

 

 

 

 

Section 3.2 Authority; Validity of Agreement.  The Investor has the limited liability company power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out its obligations hereunder.  This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Investor and Eshelman and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company, is a valid and binding obligation of the Investor and Eshelman enforceable against the Investor and Eshelman in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganizations, fraudulent transfer or similar laws relating to or affecting creditors generally or by general equitable principles (whether applied in equity or at law).  No other limited liability company proceedings are necessary for the execution and delivery by the Investor of this Agreement, the performance by it of its obligations hereunder or the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

Section 3.3 No Conflict or Violation.  The execution, delivery and performance by the Investor and Eshelman of this Agreement does not violate or conflict with any provision of the Investor’s organizational documents and does not violate any provision of law, or any order, judgment or decree of any court or other governmental or regulatory authority, nor violate or result in a breach of or constitute (with due notice or lapse of time or both) a default under any material contract, lease, loan agreement, mortgage, security agreement or other material agreement or instrument to which the Investor or Eshelman is a party or by which either of them is bound.

 

Section 3.4 Consents and Approvals.  Assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties made by the Company in Article II of this Agreement, no consent, approval, order or authorization of, or registration, qualification, designation, declaration or filing with, any federal, state, local or foreign governmental authority is required on the part of the Investor or Eshelman in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, except for filings with the SEC under Sections 13 and 16 Exchange Act.

 

Section 3.5 Exemption from Securities Act.  The Investor has been advised and understands that (a) the issuance and sale hereunder of the Purchased Securities have not been registered under the Securities Act, or any state securities laws and, therefore, they cannot be resold unless they are registered under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or unless an exemption from such registration requirements is available, (b) the Investor may be required to hold, and continue to bear the economic risk of its investment in, the Purchased Securities indefinitely, unless the offer and sale of such Purchased Securities is subsequently registered under the Securities Act and all applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available, (c) Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act is not presently available with respect to the sale of the Purchased Securities and (d) when and if the Purchased Securities may be disposed of without registration under the Securities Act in reliance on Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, the amount of Purchased Securities that may be disposed of may be limited in accordance with the terms and conditions of such rule. Investor is not investing in the shares to be issued hereby as a result of or subsequent to any general solicitation or general advertising, including but not limited to any advertisement, article, notice or other communication published in any newspaper, magazine, or similar media or broadcast over television or radio, or presented at any seminar or meeting

 

 

 

 

Section 3.6 Accredited Investor.  The Investor is an “accredited investor” as such term is defined in Rule 501(a) of the Securities Act and has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters that it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the investment contemplated by this Agreement.  The Investor is able to bear the economic risk of its investment in the Company (including a complete loss of such investment).

 

Section 3.7 Investment Purpose.  The Investor is acquiring the Purchased Securities solely for its own account for investment and not with a view toward the distribution thereof.

 

Section 3.8 Economic Risk.  The Investor understands that it must bear the economic risk of this investment indefinitely unless the Purchased Securities are registered pursuant to the Securities Act or an exemption from such registration is available, and unless the disposition of the Purchased Securities is qualified under applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such qualification is available.  The Investor further understands that there is no assurance that any exemption from the Securities Act will be available, or, if available, that such exemption will allow the Investor to transfer any or all of the Purchased Securities, in the amounts, or at the time the Investor might propose.  The Investor has independently and without reliance upon the Company, any affiliate thereof or any agent of the foregoing (other than reliance on the representations and warranties in Article II), and based on such documents and information as the Investor has deemed appropriate, made its own appraisal of an investigation into the business, operations, property, financial and other condition of the Company and made its own investment decision with respect to the investment represented by the Purchased Securities.  The Investor has consulted, to the extent deemed appropriate by the Investor, with the Investor’s own advisers as to the financial, tax, legal and related matters concerning an investment in the Purchased Securities and on that basis understands the financial, legal, tax and related consequences of an investment in the Purchased Securities and believes that an investment in the Purchased Securities is suitable and appropriate for the Investor.

 

Section 3.9 Excluded Information.  The Investor has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial and business matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.  

 

Section 3.10 No Broker.  There are no claims for brokerage commissions or finder’s fees or similar compensation in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement based on any arrangement made by or on behalf of the Investor or Eshelman.

 

ARTICLE IV

CERTAIN COVENANTS

 

Section 4.1 Transfer Restrictions.  

 

(a) Prior to the six-month anniversary of the Closing, (i) the Investor shall not, directly or indirectly, Transfer any Purchased Securities or issue any equity interests in the Investor or grant any rights to acquire any equity interest in the Investor and (ii) Eshelman shall not, directly or indirectly, Transfer any equity interests in the Investor, in each case, except for Transfers to Permitted Transferees.  

 

 

 

 

(b) A Permitted Transferee of the Purchased Securities or equity interests in the Investor pursuant to this Agreement may subsequently Transfer his, her or its Purchased Securities or equity interests in the Investor only to Eshelman, the Investor or to a Person that is a Permitted Transferee.  Each Permitted Transferee shall, and Eshelman and the Investor shall use their respective best efforts to cause such Permitted Transferee to, Transfer back to Eshelman or the Investor (or to another Permitted Transferee) the Purchased Securities or equity interests in the Investor acquired by it if such Permitted Transferee ceases to be a Permitted Transferee.

 

(c) Any Transfer of the Purchased Securities or equity interests in the Investor in violation of this Section 4.1 shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be null and void ab initio, and the Company shall not, and shall instruct its transfer agent and other third parties not to, record or recognize any such purported transaction in the Purchased Securities on the books of the Company.

 

(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, nothing set forth in this Section 4.1 shall prohibit (i) the Transfer of the Purchased Securities pursuant to the terms of a Buyout Transaction or (ii) the pledge of the Purchased Securities as security or collateral.

 

(e) For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the following meanings:

 

“Buyout Transaction” shall mean a tender offer, exchange offer, merger, consolidation, acquisition, business combination or similar transaction that has been approved by the Board, that offers each holder of Common Stock (other than, if applicable, the Person proposing such transaction or other Persons participating in such transaction, including Persons who roll over their Common Stock) the opportunity to receive with respect to such holder’s Common Stock the same consideration per share of Common Stock (which shall include, without limitation, cash and share election transactions) or otherwise contemplates the acquisition of Common Stock beneficially owned by each such holder for the same consideration (which shall include, without limitation, cash and share election transactions); provided that the decision by certain holders to roll over their Common Stock shall not exclude such a transaction from being considered a Buyout Transaction.

 

“Permitted Transferees” shall mean (a) Eshelman, (b) Eshelman’s spouse or direct lineal descendants (including by adoption), (c) any trust established for the sole benefit of Eshelman or Eshelman’s spouse or direct lineal descendants (including by adoption), (d) any Person in which the direct or indirect and beneficial owner of all voting securities of such Person is Eshelman or Eshelman’s spouse or direct lineal descendants (including by adoption) and (e) Eshelman’s heirs, executors, administrators or personal representatives upon the death, incompetency or disability of Eshelman; provided that, any such Person shall only be a Permitted Transferee if such Person agrees in writing to be bound by the terms of this Section 4.1.  

 

 

 

 

“Person” shall mean an individual, partnership (whether general or limited), joint-stock company, corporation, limited liability company, joint venture, estate, trust or unincorporated organization, and any government or agency or political subdivision thereof.  

 

“Representatives,” shall mean, with respect to the Company, its principals, directors, officers, employees, general partners, members, agents, representatives, attorneys, accountants and advisors acting at the direction or on behalf of the Company.

 

“Transfer” shall mean, with respect to the Common Stock or equity interests in the Investor, any (a) sale, assignment, transfer or other disposition, (b) purchase, sale or trading of puts, calls, options, variable forward contracts, equity swaps, collars or other derivative securities based thereon or (c) short sale of such security.  

 

Section 4.2 Confidentiality.  (a) The Investor acknowledges that in connection with the sale and purchase of the Purchased Securities it has received certain confidential information relating to the Company and its subsidiaries.  The Investor hereby agrees, as set forth below, to treat confidentially such information furnished to it by the Company or by its Representatives, whether furnished before or after the date of this Agreement and whether written, oral or electronic, together with all analyses, compilations, forecasts, interpretations, summaries, notes, data, studies or other documents or records prepared by the Investor which contain or otherwise reflect or are generated from, in whole or in part, such information (collectively, the “Confidential Information”).  The Investor hereby agrees that the Confidential Information will not be used other than for the purpose of evaluating the purchase of the Purchased Securities, and that such information will be kept confidential by it.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Investor is requested or required (by oral question or request for information or documents in legal proceedings, interrogatories, subpoena, civil investigative demand or similar process) to disclose any Confidential Information, then it will notify the Company of such request or requirement so that the Company may seek an appropriate protective order and/or waive the Investor’s compliance with the provisions of this Section 4.2.  The Investor hereby agrees to reasonably cooperate with the Company in any effort to obtain such a protective order or otherwise limit any disclosure.  If in the absence of a protective order or the receipt of a waiver hereunder, the Investor is nonetheless legally required to disclose Confidential Information to any tribunal, then the Investor, after notice to the Company, may disclose solely such information legally required to be disclosed to such tribunal.  The Investor shall exercise reasonable efforts to obtain reliable assurance that confidential treatment will be accorded the Confidential Information so disclosed.  The obligations set forth in this Section 4.2 shall be inoperative as to particular portions of the Confidential Information if such information (i) is or becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of a disclosure by Eshelman or the Investor, (ii) was available to the Investor on a non-confidential basis prior to its disclosure to the Investor by the Company or its Representatives or (iii) becomes available to the Investor on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Company or its Representatives, provided that such source is not known by the Investor to be bound by a confidentiality agreement with the Company or its Representatives and is not to the Investor’s knowledge otherwise prohibited from transmitting the information to it by a contractual, legal or fiduciary obligation. The fact that information included in the Confidential Information is or becomes otherwise available to the Investor under clauses (i) through (iii) above shall not relieve the Investor of the prohibitions of the confidentiality provisions of this Section 4.2 with respect to the balance of the Confidential Information.

 

 

 

 

Section 4.3 Registration Rights.  The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to file and cause to be declared effective, not later than the six-month anniversary of the Closing, a registration statement on Form S-3 (or Form S-1 if the Company is not eligible to use Form S-3) (the “Registration Statement”) with respect to those Pre-Funded Warrant Shares which are not otherwise registered under the Securities Act, to provide the Investor and any of its Permitted Transferees or transferees, following the six-month anniversary of the Closing, as and if applicable, with the ability to resell such Pre-Funded Warrant Shares from time to time in accordance with the methods of distribution elected by such Persons and as set forth in the Registration Statement.  The Company shall provide the Investor with drafts of the Registration Statement and all related documents prior to filing and duly consider any comments thereon provided by the Investor or its advisors.

 

Section 4.4 Stockholder Approval. The Company and Investor agree that until the Company obtains the Requisite Stockholder Approval ( as defined below) of the issuance of the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares, no Pre-Funded Warrant Shares will be issued or delivered upon any proposed exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrant, and the Pre-Funded Warrant will not be exercisable to the extent, that such issuance, delivery, exercise or exercisability would result in the Investor or a “person” or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) beneficially owning in excess of nineteen and ninety-nine-one-hundredths percent (19.99%) of the then-outstanding Common Stock (the restrictions set forth in this sentence, the “Beneficial Ownership Limitation”). For these purposes, beneficial ownership and calculations of percentage ownership will be determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act. “Requisite Stockholder Approval” means the stockholder approval contemplated by Rule 5635 of the Nasdaq Stock Market listing rules with respect to the issuance of Pre-Funded Warrant Shares upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrant in excess of the limitations imposed by such rule. The Company covenants, as soon as practicable following the date of this Agreement, that it shall hold an annual or special meeting of stockholders (the “Stockholder Meeting”) for the purpose of obtaining the Requisite Stockholder Approval in accordance with Rule 5635 of the Nasdaq Stock Market listing rules and to use its reasonable best efforts to hold such Stockholder Meeting no later than one hundred and twenty (120) days following the date of this Agreement (one hundred and fifty days (150) if the SEC reviews the proxy statement for the annual or special meeting). The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the Requisite Stockholder Approval and shall cause the Board to recommend to the stockholder that they approve such matter. If, despite the Company’s reasonable best efforts Requisite Stockholder Approval is not effected on or prior to May 5, 2022, the Company shall cause an additional Stockholder Meeting to be held every six (6) months thereafter until such Requisite Stockholder Approval is obtained.

 

Section 4.5 Reservation of Common Stock. As of the date hereof, the Company has reserved and the Company shall continue to reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive rights, a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock for the purpose of enabling the Company to issue the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares pursuant to any exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrant.

 

Section 4.6 Exercise Procedures. The form of Notice of Exercise included in the Pre-Funded Warrant sets forth the totality of the procedures required of the Investor in order to exercise the Pre-Funded Warrant. No additional legal opinion, other information or instructions shall be required of the Investor to exercise its Pre-Funded Warrant. Without limiting the preceding sentences, no ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise form be required in order to exercise the Pre-Funded Warrant. The Company shall honor exercises of the Pre-Funded Warrant and shall deliver Pre-Funded Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms, conditions and time periods set forth in the Pre-Funded Warrant.

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE V

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

 

Section 5.1 Successors and Assigns; No Third-Party Beneficiaries.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the parties hereto and their respective successors.  No party hereto shall assign or delegate any of the rights or obligations created under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other parties hereto.  Nothing in this Agreement shall confer upon any Person not a party to this Agreement, or the legal representatives of such Person, any rights or remedies of any nature or kind whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

Section 5.2 Fees and Expenses.  All Company legal, accounting and other fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the Company. If the Closing occurs, the Company shall also pay all the Investor’s reasonable and documented legal, accounting and other fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby up to $50,000, which shall include fees incurred in reviewing the Registration Statement and related documentation.

 

Section 5.3 Notices.  Unless otherwise specified herein, all notices, consents, approvals, reports, designations, requests, waivers, elections and other communications authorized or required to be given pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given (a) when personally delivered, (b) when transmitted via facsimile to the number set out below, if the sender on the same day sends a confirming copy of such notice by a recognized overnight delivery service (charges prepaid), (c) the day following the day (except if not a business day then the next business day) on which the same has been delivered prepaid to a reputable national overnight courier service, (d) when transmitted via e-mail (including via attached pdf document) to the e-mail address set out below, if the sender on the same day sends a confirming copy of such notice by a recognized overnight delivery service (charges prepaid) or (e) the third business day following the day on which the same is sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, in each case to the respective parties as applicable, at the address, facsimile number or e-mail address set forth below (or such other address, facsimile number or e-mail address as a party may specify by notice to another party in accordance with this Section 5.3):

 

If to the Investor or Eshelman, to:

 

Eshelman Ventures, LLC

319 North 3rd Street, Suite 301

Wilmington, North Carolina 28401

Fax:  (910) 399-2801

Attention: Fredric N. Eshelman

E-mail:  fred@eshelmanventures.com

 

 

 

 

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

 

Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP

4101 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 300

Raleigh, North Carolina 27607

Fax: (919) 781-4865

Attention:  Donald R. Reynolds, Esq.

E-mail:  dreynolds@wyrick.com

 

If to the Company, to:

 

Aravive, Inc.

River Oaks Tower

3730 Kirby Drive, Suite 1200

Houston, Texas 77908

Attention: Gail McIntyre, President and Chief Executive Officer

E-mail: gail@aravive.com

 

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

 

Gracin & Marlow, LLP

Chrysler Building

405 Lexington Avenue, 26th Floor

New York, New York 10174

Fax:(212) 208-4657

Attention: Leslie Marlow, Esq.

E-mail: lmarlow@gracinmarlow.com

 

Section 5.4 Entire Agreement.  This Agreement represents the entire agreement and understanding of the parties with reference to the transactions set forth herein and no representations or warranties have been made in connection with this Agreement other than those expressly set forth herein.  This Agreement and the agreements contemplated hereby supersede all prior negotiations, discussions, correspondence, communications, understandings and agreements between the parties relating to the subject matter of this Agreement and all prior drafts of this Agreement.  No prior drafts of this Agreement and no words or phrases from any such prior drafts shall be admissible into evidence in any action or suit involving this Agreement.

 

Section 5.5 Severability.  This Agreement shall be deemed severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision hereof shall not affect the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or of any other term or provision hereof.  Any provision of this Agreement held invalid or unenforceable only in part will remain in full force and effect to the extent not held invalid or unenforceable.

 

 

 

 

Section 5.6 Titles and Headings.  The Article and Section headings contained in this Agreement are solely for convenience of reference and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement or of any term or provision hereof.

 

Section 5.7 Signatures and Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument, and may be delivered by facsimile transmission or by electronic delivery of a portable document format (PDF) file (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com).

 

Section 5.8 Legal Counsel and Interpretation.  Each of the parties hereto acknowledges that each party to this Agreement has been represented by counsel in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.  Accordingly, any rule of law, or any legal decision that would require interpretation of any claimed ambiguities in this Agreement against the party that drafted it has no application and is expressly waived.

 

Section 5.9 Survival.  All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made herein shall survive the execution and delivery hereof.

 

Section 5.10 Specific Performance.  The parties acknowledge and agree that irreparable injury would occur in the event any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with the terms hereof or were otherwise breached and that such injury would not be adequately compensable by the remedies available at law (including the payment of money damages).  It is accordingly agreed that the parties shall be entitled to specific enforcement of, and injunctive relief to prevent any violation of, the terms hereof.  The parties further agree not to take action, directly or indirectly, in opposition to the party seeking such relief on the grounds that any other remedy or relief is available at law or in equity.  This Section 5.10 is not the exclusive remedy for any violation of this Agreement.  

 

Section 5.11 Governing Law.  All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (whether brought against a party hereto or their respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the State of Delaware. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the State of Delaware for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. If either party shall commence an action, suit or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Agreement, the prevailing party in such action, suit or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for their reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this paragraph shall limit or restrict the federal district court in which the Investor may bring a claim under the federal securities laws.

 

 

 

 

Section 5.13 No Other Representations or Warranties.  

 

(a) Except for the representations and warranties contained in Article II, each of the Investor and Eshelman acknowledges that neither the Company nor any other Person on behalf of the Company makes any other express or implied representation or warranty with respect to the Company or its subsidiaries or with respect to any other information made available to the Investor and Eshelman in connection with the Investor’s investment in the Purchased Securities.  

 

(b) Except for the representations and warranties contained in Article III, the Company acknowledges that none of the Investor, Eshelman or any other Person on behalf of the Investor or Eshelman makes any other express or implied representation or warranty with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

Section 5.14 Termination.   In the event that the conditions to Closing set forth in Section 1.2 are not fulfilled by January 31, 2022, then this Agreement shall automatically terminate without any action by any party hereto, and the parties shall have no further rights and obligations hereunder.

 

 

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Blank]

 

 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

	
			 

				
			THE COMPANY: 

				
			 

			
	 	 	 
	 	 	 
	 	ARAVIVE, INC.	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	
			 

				
			 

				
			 

				
			 

			
	
			 

				
			By: 

				
			/s/ Gail McIntyre

				
			 

			
	
			 

				
			 

				
			Name: Gail McIntyre 

				
			 

			
	
			 

				
			 

				
			Title: Chief Executive Officer 

				
			 

			

 

 

[Signature page to Investment Agreement—Aravive, Inc.]

 

 

 

 

	
			 

				
			INVESTOR: 

				
			 

			
	 	 	 
	 	 	 
	 	ESHELMAN VENTURES, LLC	 
	
			 

				
			 

				
			 

				
			 

			
	
			 

				
			 

				
			 

				
			 

			
	 	 	 	 
	
			 

				
			By: 

				
			/s/ Fredric N. Eshelman

				
			 

			
	
			 

				
			 

				
			Name: Fredric N. Eshelman

				
			 

			
	
			 

				
			 

				
			Title: Manager 

				
			 

			

 

 

	
			 

				
			FREDric N. ESHELMAN  

				
			 

			
	 	(solely for purposes of Article IV and Article V)	 
	 	 	 
	 	 	 
	
			 

				
			 

				
			/s/ Fredric N. Eshelman

				
			 

			
	
			 

				
			 

				
			 

				
			 

			
	
			 

				
			 

				
			 

				
			 

			

 

 

[Signature page to Investment Agreement—Aravive, Inc.]

 

 

 

 

Exhibit A

 

Form of Pre-Funded Warrant

 

Reference is made to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 3, 2022 with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which is incorporated by reference herein.

Source: [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00338-of-00352.parquet"}, [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00338-of-00352.parquet"}]]