Document:

EX-10.1

 Exhibit 10.1 

SEPARATION AND RELEASE AGREEMENT 

This Separation and Release Agreement (this “Agreement”), delivered August 29, 2019, confirms the following
understandings and agreements between Melinta Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and John H. Johnson (hereinafter referred to as “you” or “your”).

 In consideration of the promises set forth herein, you and the Company agree as follows: 

1. Opportunity for Review; Acceptance. You have until September 10, 2019 (the “Review Period”), to
review and consider this Agreement. To accept this Agreement, and the terms and conditions contained herein, prior to the expiration of the Review Period (but in no event earlier than the Separation Date, as defined below), you must execute
and date this Agreement where indicated below and return the executed copy of this Agreement to the Company’s General Counsel (the “Company Representative”) by mail at Melinta Therapeutics, 44 Whippany Road, Suite 280,
Morristown, NJ 07960. You acknowledge that, to the extent there are changes made to the terms of this Agreement, whether they are material or immaterial, the Review Period is not recommenced. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the
contrary, this Agreement will not become effective or enforceable for a period of seven (7) calendar days following the date of your execution of this Agreement (the “Revocation Period”), during which time you may
revoke your acceptance of this Agreement by notifying the Company Representative, in writing, to the address specified above. To be effective, such revocation must be received by the Company Representative no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
on the seventh (7th) calendar day following your execution of this Agreement. Provided that this Agreement is executed during the Review Period, and you do not revoke it during the Revocation
Period, the eighth (8th) day following the date on which this Agreement is executed and delivered to the Company Representative shall be its effective date (the “Effective
Date”). In the event that you fail to execute and deliver this Agreement prior to the expiration of the Review Period, or if you otherwise revoke this Agreement during the Revocation Period, this Agreement will be null and void and of
no effect, and the Company will have no obligations hereunder. 
 2. Employment Status; Accrued Benefits; and Separation Payments.

 (a) Employment Status. You acknowledge and agree that you resigned as Chief Executive Officer on August 5, 2019 and your
employment with the Company and its direct and indirect parent(s), subsidiaries, and affiliates (collectively, with the Company, the “Company Group”), will terminate effective as of the close of business on
September 4, 2019, which date may extended by a written agreement by you and the Company (the “Separation Date”), and after the Separation Date, you will not represent yourself as being an employee, officer, agent,
or representative of the Company or any other member of the Company Group. You further agree that this termination is not by the Company with or without Cause, or by you for Good Reason, as each such term is defined in the Employment Agreement
between you and the Company, dated February 21, 2019 (the “Employment Agreement”). Except as otherwise provided herein, you hereby confirm your resignations from all offices, directorships, trusteeships,
committee memberships and fiduciary and other capacities held with, or on behalf of, the Company Group effective as of the Separation Date and your execution of this Agreement will be deemed the grant by you to the officers of the Company of a
limited power of attorney to sign in your name and on your behalf any such documentation as may be required to be executed solely for the limited purposes of effectuating such resignations. For the avoidance of doubt and not withstanding your
resignation, subject to the terms and conditions of the Employment Agreement, you shall remain an officer of the Company until the Separation Date. 

(b) Accrued Obligations. During the period between the date hereof and the Separation Date (the “Transition
Period”), you will remain on active payroll and be paid your current salary. In addition, the Separation Date shall be the termination date of your employment for purposes of participation in and coverage under all benefit plans and
programs sponsored by or through the Company and 

 
any other member of the Company Group, except as otherwise provided herein. You will be paid for (i) all of your earned but unpaid salary through the Separation Date and, to the extent
required by state law, your accrued but unused vacation as of the Separation Date, in each case, on the Company’s next regularly scheduled payroll date on or following the Separation Date; and (ii) any business expenses incurred prior to
the Separation Date and properly submitted in accordance with the Company’s policies and procedures within ten (10) business days of the Separation Date. In addition, you will be entitled to continued medical and health benefits under the
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (“COBRA”), and additional information concerning such benefits will be provided to you under separate cover following the Separation Date. 

(c) Transition Period. During the Transition Period, you agree to observe and comply with all of the rules, regulations, policies and
procedures established by the Company from time to time and all applicable laws, rules and regulations imposed by any governmental regulatory authority from time to time. Further, during the Transition Period, you agree to cooperate with the Company
and/or any other member of the Company Group, provide information, answer questions and provide guidance as reasonably requested relating to any matter on which you worked prior to the date hereof or of which you have knowledge and to otherwise
assist in the wind-down and orderly transition of your duties and responsibilities to other employees of the Company Group. Without limiting the foregoing, you agree that during the Transition Period, you will devote your full business time,
attention, skill and best efforts to such wind-down or transition of your duties and responsibilities and that you are not to engage in any other business or occupation. 

(d) Separation Payments and Benefits. In consideration of your release and waiver of claims set forth in
Paragraph 3 below and your agreement to provide the consultative services described in Paragraph 2(d)(ii) below, subject to your execution, delivery and non-revocation of this
Agreement and continued compliance with this Agreement, including but not limited to, Paragraph 11 hereof, the Company will provide you with the following separation benefits (the “Consideration”): 

(i) COBRA Premiums. If you choose to elect to continue your health insurance benefits under COBRA following the
Separation Date, the Company will pay you a lump sum cash payment (within three (3) business days of the Effective Date) equal to the amount, grossed up for all applicable income and employment taxes, necessary to fully subsidize your total
applicable COBRA premiums for continued group health plan coverage for you and your eligible dependents (including medical, dental and vision benefits, but not disability or life insurance benefits) as applicable (the “COBRA
Subsidy”), for a period of eighteen (18) months from the Separation Date (the “Benefit Period”). Such amount shall be paid to you in accordance with Paragraph 2(e) below. You must actively
elect COBRA in order to continue coverage after the Separation Date. For the avoidance of doubt, following the expiration of the Benefit Period, you may continue your health insurance coverage under COBRA at your own expense to the extent permitted
under applicable law; and 
 (ii) Consulting Services Payment. You agree to provide consultative services to the
Company for a period of six (6) months from the Separation Date at such dates and times as mutually agreed to by you and the Board of Directors of the Company. You agree that the total consultative services shall not exceed 20 hours per week.
In consideration for these services, which services shall be mutually determined, the Company agrees to pay you $300,000, to be paid as a lump sum cash payment (within three (3) business days of the Effective Date). The Company agrees to
indemnify you and hold you harmless to the fullest extent permitted by law from and against any and all claims, covenants, warranties, promises, undertakings, actions, suits, causes of action, obligations, debts, accounts, attorneys’ fees,
judgments, losses and liabilities, of whatsoever kind or nature, in law, equity or otherwise as set forth in Exhibit A attached hereto. 

  
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 (iii) D&O Insurance. In accordance with Section 20 of your
Employment Agreement, the Company agrees to cover you as an insured party under any contract of directors and officers liability insurance that covers members of the Company’s board of directors. The Company shall also list you as an insured
party with respect to the provision of your consulting services described in Paragraph 2(d)(ii) above on substantially the same terms as are applicable to the members of the Company’s board of directors. Failure of the Company to provide such
insurance shall relieve you of any obligation to perform services under this Agreement. 
 (e) Deferral of Payments. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, in the event that any payment otherwise scheduled to occur prior to the Effective Date, but for the condition on executing this Agreement, shall be made as soon as administratively possible following the Effective Date. 

(f) Taxes. Amounts provided hereunder, including without limitation the Consideration, are subject to withholding for all applicable
taxes, including but not limited to income, employment, and social insurance taxes, as shall be required by law. 
 (g) Options and
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). In accordance with the terms of each applicable equity incentive plan maintained by the Company, each stock option notice and agreement and each RSU grant notice and agreement issued to you thereunder (referred to
collectively herein as, the “Equity Agreements”), vesting of options and restricted stock units granted to you pursuant to the Equity Agreements will cease on the Separation Date. Any vested options as of the
Separation Date shall only be exercisable following the Separation Date in accordance with the terms of the applicable Equity Agreements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you hereby agree that you will not become vested in the 50,000 RSUs that would
have otherwise vested on August 22, 2019 and no shares underlying such RSUs will be issued to you. Accordingly, you hereby acknowledge and agree that, as of the Separation Date, pursuant to the terms of the applicable Equity Agreements and this
Paragraph 2(g), 30,270 stock options are vested, 60,000 RSUs are vested and 350,000 RSUs are unvested (such amounts reflects the one-to-five reverse split
effective February 21, 2019). All 350,000 unvested RSUs shall be forfeited without consideration on the earlier of September 4, 2019 or the Separation Date. You agree that you shall not voluntarily dispose of any vested RSUs until three
days after the Company reports its third quarter 2019 earnings. You further agree that you shall not voluntarily dispose of more than 20,000 vested RSUs per calendar month, unless otherwise agreed to in writing by you and the Company. 

(h) Full Discharge. You acknowledge and agree that, subject to the carveouts set forth in Paragraph 3(h) below, the payment(s)
and other benefits provided pursuant to this Paragraph 2 are in full discharge of any and all liabilities and obligations of the Company or any other member of the Company Group to you, monetarily or with respect to
employee benefits or otherwise, including but not limited to any and all obligations arising under the Employment Agreement, including the Release of Claims, incorporated as Exhibit A to such Employment Agreement, any other alleged written or oral
employment agreement, policy, plan or procedure of the Company or any other member of the Company Group and/or any alleged understanding or arrangement between you and the Company or any other member of the Company Group (other than claims for
accrued and vested benefits under an employee benefit, insurance, or pension plan of the Company or any other member of the Company Group (excluding any severance or similar plan or policy), subject to the terms and conditions of such plan(s)). 

3. Release and Waiver of Claims. 

(a) As used in this Agreement, the term “claims” will include all claims, covenants, warranties, promises, undertakings, actions,
suits, causes of action, obligations, debts, accounts, attorneys’ fees, judgments, losses and liabilities, of whatsoever kind or nature, in law, equity or otherwise. 

  
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 (b) For and in consideration of the payments and benefits described in
Paragraph 2 above, and other good and valuable consideration, you, for and on behalf of yourself and your heirs, administrators, executors and assigns, as of the date hereof, do fully and forever release, remise and
discharge each member of the Company Group and their successors and assigns, together with their respective officers, directors, employees and agents (collectively, and with the Company Group, the “Company Parties”) from
any and all claims whatsoever up to the date hereof which you had, may have had, or now have against the Company Parties, whether known or unknown, for or by reason of any matter, cause or thing whatsoever, including any claim arising out of or
attributable to your employment or the termination of your employment with the Company or any member of the Company Group, whether for any tort, contract, or equitable common law principles, including, but not limited to, specific claims for
recovery of attorneys’ fees or punitive, compensatory, or other damages, including wages, commissions, bonus payments, vacation pay, stock options, and severance benefits, fraud, concealment, negligence, defamation, negligent misrepresentation,
promissory estoppel, quantum meruit, intentional or negligent infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy, wrongful discharge, breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, violation of public policy, or constructive termination;
any and all claims arising under any policies, practices or procedures of the Company; all claims to any non-vested ownership interest in the Company, contractual or otherwise, including but not limited to
claims to stock or stock options; or all claims under any federal, state or local law dealing with discrimination based on age, race, sex, national origin, handicap, religion, disability or sexual orientation. This release of claims includes, but is
not limited to, all claims arising under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (the “ADEA”), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Family and
Medical Leave Act, the Equal Pay Act, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (excluding claims for accrued, vested benefits under an employee pension benefit plan of the Company
Parties), each as may be amended from time to time, any applicable Executive Order Programs and their state and local counterparts, and all other applicable federal, and state and local laws or regulations, including, but not limited to the extent
permitted by law, any rights, actions, claims or liability under (i) any state or local statute or regulation, including, but not limited to, the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (N.J.S.A. §§
10:5-1 to 10:5-49), New Jersey Smoking Law (N.J.S.A. §§ 34:6B-1 to 34:6B-4),
New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act (N.J.S.A. §§ 34:19-1 to 34:19-14), New Jersey Family Leave Act (N.J.S.A. §§ 34:11B-1 to 34:11B-16), New Jersey Paid Sick Leave Act (N.J.S.A §§ 34:11D-1 to
34:11D-11), New Jersey Wage Payment Law (N.J.S.A. §§ 34:11-2 to 34:11-4.14), New Jersey Wage and Hour Law (N.J.S.A.
§§ 34:11-56a to 34:11-56a38), New Jersey Discrimination in Wages Act (N.J.S.A. §§ 34:11-56.1, et seq.), New
Jersey Workers’ Compensation Law’s anti-retaliation provisions (N.J.S.A. §§ 34:15-39.1 to 34:15-39.3), and New Jersey Millville Dallas Airmotive
Plant Job Loss Notification Act (N.J.S.A. §§ 34:21-1 to 34:21-7), all as amended; or (ii) any tort, contract, or equitable common law principles,
including, but not limited to, specific claims for breach of implied or express contract, breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, defamation (including slander and libel), wrongful discharge or termination, and intentional or
negligent infliction of emotional distress. You intend the release contained herein to be a general release of any and all claims to the fullest extent permissible by law and for the provisions regarding the release of claims against the Company
Parties to be construed as broadly as possible, and hereby incorporate in this release similar federal, state or other laws, all of which you also hereby expressly waive. 

(c) You understand and agree that claims or facts in addition to or different from those which are now known or believed by you to exist may
hereafter be discovered, but it is your intention to fully and forever release, remise and discharge all claims which you had, may have had, or now have against the Company Parties, whether known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, asserted or
unasserted, contingent or noncontingent, without regard to the subsequent discovery or existence of such additional or different facts. Without limiting the foregoing, by signing this Agreement, you expressly waive and release any provision of law
that purports to limit the scope of a general release. 

  
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 (d) You agree that, except for the wages and benefits to be paid to you regardless of
whether you sign this Agreement (explained before in Paragraph 2(b)), the Consideration to be paid under Paragraph 2(d) of this Agreement, and any vested stock options or restricted stock units you may hold, the Company does not owe
you any other wages, compensation, or benefits of any kind or nature. 
 (e) You acknowledge and agree that, by virtue of the foregoing, you
have waived any relief available to you (including without limitation, monetary damages, equitable relief and reinstatement) under any of the claims and/or causes of action waived in this Paragraph 3. Therefore, you agree
that you will not accept any award or settlement from any source or proceeding (including but not limited to any proceeding brought by any other person or by any government agency) with respect to any claim or right waived in this Agreement. 

(f) You acknowledge and agree that as of the date you execute this Agreement, you have no knowledge of any facts or circumstances that give
rise or could give rise to any claims under any of the laws listed in the preceding paragraphs. Further, you have notified the Company of any charge or complaint you have filed with any agency or court that is still pending before such court or
agency 
 (g) You acknowledge and agree that as of the date you execute this Agreement, you have no cause to believe that any violation of
any local, state or federal law has occurred with respect to your employment or separation of employment from the Company, including but not limited to any violation of any federal, state municipal, foreign or international whistleblower or fraud
law, statute or regulation. In addition, you further agree and acknowledge that you are not aware of any conduct that would be unlawful under the False Claims Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Act, or any other compliance obligation. 

(h) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, by executing this Agreement, you are not releasing any claims relating
to: (i) your rights with respect to payment of amounts and the Consideration under this Agreement, (ii) your right to accrued, vested benefits due to terminated employees under any employee benefit plan of the Company or any other member
of the Company Group in which you participated (excluding any severance or similar plan or policy), in accordance with the terms thereof (including your right to elect COBRA continuation coverage), (iii) any claims that cannot be waived by law or
that arise after the date on which you execute this Agreement, (iv) your rights relating to any vested stock options or restricted stock units you may hold; and (v) your right to indemnification and directors and officers liability
insurance under Section 20 of your Employment Agreement and Paragraph 2(d)(iii) hereof. Nothing in this Agreement shall prohibit or restrict you (or your attorney) from filing a charge, testifying, assisting, or participating in any
manner in an investigation, hearing or proceeding; responding to any inquiry; or otherwise communicating with, any administrative or regulatory (including any self-regulatory) agency or authority, including, but not limited to, the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC), the US Department of Justice (DOJ), the US Congress, any agency Inspector General, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or a comparable state or federal fair employment practices agency, and the National
Labor Relations Board (NLRB), and does not restrict you from receiving an award for any information provided to government agencies. 
 (i)
You acknowledge and agree that you have not asserted any claim for sexual harassment or sexual abuse by the Company or any of the Company Parties and you are not aware of any facts supporting any such a claim. 

(j) You acknowledge and agree that as of the date of this Agreement, the Company has provided you with all leave to which you were entitled
and you have reported all accidents, injuries or illnesses relating to or arising from your employment with the Company or the Company Group and that you have not suffered any
on-the-job injury or illness for which you have not yet filed a claim. 

  
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 4. Knowing and Voluntary Waiver. You expressly acknowledge and agree that you: 

(a) are able to read the language, and understand the meaning and effect, of this Agreement; 

(b) have no physical or mental impairment of any kind that has interfered with your ability to read and understand the meaning of this
Agreement or its terms, and that you are not acting under the influence of any medication, drug or chemical of any type in entering into this Agreement; 

(c) are specifically agreeing to the terms of the release contained in this Agreement because the Company has agreed to provide you the
Consideration, which the Company has agreed to provide because of your agreement to accept it in full settlement of all possible claims you might have or ever had against the Company Parties, and because of your execution of this Agreement; 

(d) acknowledge that but for your execution of this Agreement, you would not be entitled to the Consideration; 

(e) had or could have the entire Review Period in which to review and consider this Agreement, and that if you execute this Agreement prior to
the expiration of the Review Period, you have voluntarily and knowingly waived the remainder of the Review Period; 
 (f) understand that,
by entering into this Agreement, you do not waive rights or claims under the ADEA that may arise after the date you execute this Agreement; 

(g) have not relied upon any representation or statement not set forth in this Agreement made by the Company Group or any of its
representatives; 
 (h) were advised to consult with your attorney regarding the terms and effect of this Agreement; 

(i) have a full twenty-one (21) days from the date of receipt of this Agreement within which to
consider this Agreement; and 
 (j) have signed this Agreement knowingly and voluntarily. 

5. No Suit. You represent and warrant that you have not previously filed, and to the maximum extent permitted by law agree that you will
not file, a complaint, charge or lawsuit against any of the Company Parties regarding any of the claims released herein. If, notwithstanding this representation and warranty, you have filed or file such a complaint, charge or lawsuit, you agree that
you shall cause such complaint, charge or lawsuit to be dismissed with prejudice and shall pay any and all costs required in obtaining dismissal of such complaint, charge or lawsuit, including without limitation the attorneys’ fees of any of
the Company Parties against whom you have filed such a complaint, charge, or lawsuit. This Paragraph 5 shall not apply, however, to any non-waivable right to file a charge with the
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (the “EEOC”) or similar state agency; provided, however, that if the EEOC or similar state agency pursues any claims relating to your employment with the Company or any member of
the Company Group, you agree that you shall not be entitled to recover any monetary damages or any other remedies or benefits as a result and that this Agreement and the Consideration will control as the exclusive remedy and full settlement of all
such claims by you. In addition, I understand that nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to prohibit you from reporting possible violations of law or regulation to any governmental agency or regulatory body or making other disclosures that
are protected under any law or regulation, or from filing a charge with or participating in any investigation or proceeding conducted by any governmental agency or regulatory body. 

  
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 6. No Re-Employment. You hereby agree to
waive any and all claims to re-employment with the Company or any other member of the Company Group. You acknowledge that if you re-apply for or seek employment with the
Company or any other member of the Company Group, the Company’s or any other member of the Company Group’s refusal to hire you based on this provision will provide a complete defense to any claims arising from your attempt to apply for
employment. 
 7. Successors and Assigns. The provisions hereof shall inure to the benefit of your heirs, executors, administrators,
legal personal representatives and assigns and shall be binding upon your heirs, executors, administrators, legal personal representatives and assigns. 

8. Severability; Third Party Beneficiaries. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held by any court of competent jurisdiction to
be illegal, void or unenforceable, such provision shall be of no force and effect. The illegality or unenforceability of such provision, however, shall have no effect upon and shall not impair the enforceability of any other provision of this
Agreement. You acknowledge and agree that each of the Company Parties shall be a third-party beneficiary to the releases set forth in Paragraph 3, with full rights to enforce this Agreement and the matters documented
herein. 
 9. Non-Disparagement. Each party agrees that it will make no disparaging or
defamatory comments regarding the other. As to the Company, you agree not to make any disparaging or defamatory comments regarding any member of the Company Group or their respective current or former directors, officers, employees, members,
stockholders (including any management company of a stockholder), or affiliates in any respect or make any comments concerning any aspect of your relationship with any member of the Company Group or the conduct or events which precipitated your
termination of employment from any member of the Company Group. The obligations under this Paragraph 9 extend to, but are not limited to, text messages, e-mail communications, and
comments or postings on blogs, comment boards or social media websites including, but not limited to, Facebook or LinkedIn. This Paragraph 9 shall not prevent the truthful testimony by any individual or entity in a legal
proceeding or pursuant to a governmental, administrative or regulatory investigation. 
 10. Cooperation. 

(a) You agree that you will provide reasonable cooperation to the Company and/or any other member of the Company Group and its or their
respective counsel in connection with any investigation, administrative proceeding or litigation relating to any matter that occurred during your employment in which you were involved or of which you have knowledge. The Company agrees to reimburse
you for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred at the request of the Company with respect to your compliance with this Paragraph 10(a). You
agree to provide information and answer questions as reasonably requested by the Company with respect to any matter on which you worked prior to the Separation Date of which you have knowledge. 

(b) You agree that, in the event you are subpoenaed by any person or entity (including, but not limited to, any government agency) to give
testimony or provide documents (in a deposition, court proceeding or otherwise) which in any way relates to your employment by the Company and/or any other member of the Company Group, you will give prompt written notice of such request to the
Company Representative, in writing to the address specified above, or his successor or designee, and will make no disclosure until the Company and/or the other member of the Company Group has had a reasonable opportunity to contest the right of the
requesting person or entity to such disclosure. 

  
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 11. Restrictive Covenants. You hereby acknowledge and agree that the execution of
this Agreement does not alter your obligations to any member of the Company Group under any confidentiality, non-compete, non-solicit, invention assignment, or similar
agreement or arrangement to which you are a party with any member of the Company Group, including, without limitation, the provisions set forth in that certain Employee Non-Competition, Non-Disclosure and Developments Agreement, signed on October 22, 2018 (the “Proprietary Rights Agreement”), which obligations are hereby incorporated into this Agreement and shall
survive the termination of your employment with the Company, and you hereby acknowledge, reaffirm and ratify your continuing obligations to the Company Group pursuant to such agreements or arrangements. You further hereby acknowledge that your
continued compliance with these obligations is a condition of your receiving the Consideration described in Paragraph 2 above and upon any breach of the Proprietary Rights Agreement, the Company shall be entitled to an
immediate refund of any Consideration already received by you. 
 12. Return of Property. You agree that you will promptly return to
the Company, and you will retain no copies of, all property belonging to the Company and/or any other member of the Company Group, including but not limited to all proprietary and/or confidential information and documents (including any copies
thereof) in any form belonging to the Company. If you discover after the Separation Date that you have retained any proprietary and/or confidential information (including, without limitation, proprietary and/or confidential information contained in
any electronic documents or email systems in your possession or control), you agree immediately upon discovery to send an email to the Company Representative and inform the Company of the nature and location of the proprietary and/or confidential
information that you have retained so that the Company may arrange to remove, recover, and/or collect such information. You further acknowledge and agree that the Company shall have no obligation to provide the Consideration referred to in
Paragraph 2 above unless and until you have satisfied all your obligations pursuant to this Paragraph 12. 

13. Non-Admission. Nothing contained in this Agreement will be deemed or construed as an
admission of wrongdoing or liability on the part of you or any member of the Company Group. Accordingly, this Agreement may not be admissible in any forum as an admission, but only in an action to enforce it. 

14. Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the Proprietary Rights Agreement constitute the entire understanding and agreement of the
parties hereto regarding the termination of your employment. This Agreement and the Proprietary Rights Agreement supersede all prior negotiations, discussions, correspondence, communications, understandings and agreements between the parties
relating to the subject matter of this Agreement and the Proprietary Rights Agreement. 
 15. Governing Law; Jurisdiction. THIS
AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, APPLICABLE TO AGREEMENTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED IN THAT STATE, WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICT OF LAWS RULES. ANY DISPUTE, CONTROVERSY OR CLAIM BETWEEN
YOU AND THE COMPANY ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR THE PROPRIETARY RIGHTS AGREEMENT SHALL BE RESOLVED BY ARBITRATION ADMINISTERED BY THE AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION (“AAA”) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS EMPLOYMENT ARBITRATION
RULES INCLUDING THE EMERGENCY INTERIM RELIEF PROCEDURES OF THE AAA. JUDGMENT ON THE AWARD RENDERED BY THE ARBITRATOR(S) MAY BE ENTERED IN ANY COURT HAVING JURISDICTION THEREOF. THE PLACE OF ARBITRATION SHALL BE WILMINGTON, DELAWARE. THE
ARBITRATOR(S) MAY GRANT INJUNCTIONS OR OTHER RELIEF IN SUCH DISPUTE OR CONTROVERSY. THE DECISION OF THE ARBITRATOR(S) SHALL BE FINAL, CONCLUSIVE AND BINDING ON THE PARTIES TO THE ARBITRATION. EXCEPT AS SPECIFICALLY SET FORTH HEREIN, YOU AND THE
COMPANY SHALL EACH BEAR THEIR OWN ATTORNEYS’ FEES INCURRED IN 

  
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CONNECTION WITH THE ARBITRATION, AND THE ARBITRATOR(S) WILL NOT HAVE AUTHORITY TO BE ENTITLED TO AWARD ATTORNEYS’ FEES UNLESS A STATUTE OR CONTRACT AT ISSUE IN THE DISPUTE AUTHORIZES THE
AWARD OF ATTORNEYS’ FEES TO THE PREVAILING PARTY, IN WHICH CASE THE ARBITRATOR(S) SHALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE AN AWARD OF ATTORNEYS’ FEES AS REQUIRED OR PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. IF THERE IS A DISPUTE AS TO WHETHER THE COMPANY OR
YOU IS THE PREVAILING PARTY IN THE ARBITRATION, THE ARBITRATOR(S) WILL DECIDE THIS ISSUE. LIABILITY FOR THE FEES AND EXPENSES OF ALL THE ARBITRATORS WITH RESPECT TO THE ARBITRATION SHALL BE EVENLY DIVIDED BETWEEN THE PARTIES TO THE ARBITRATION. THE
DETERMINATION RENDERED BY THE ARBITRATOR(S) SHALL (I) SPECIFY THE FINDING OF FACTS UPON WHICH IT IS BASED AND THE REASONS THEREFOR, AND (II) BE CONCLUSIVE AND BINDING UPON THE PARTIES. NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROVISIONS OF THIS PARAGRAPH, THE
COMPANY SHALL NOT BE COMPELLED TO ARBITRATE CLAIMS ARISING UNDER THE PROPRIETARY RIGHTS AGREEMENT AND MAY INSTITUTE JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS TO ENFORCE THAT AGREEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14 OF THE PROPRIETARY RIGHTS AGREEMENT. YOU HEREBY AGREE TO SUBMIT
ANY AND ALL CLAIMS YOU MAY HAVE AGAINST THE COMPANY ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS. THIS MEANS THAT NO CLAIM (INCLUDING ANY CLAIM RELATED TO TERMS OR CONDITIONS OF YOUR EMPLOYMENT WITH OR COMPENSATION PAID BY THE COMPANY, OR ANY CHANGE IN OR TERMINATION OF
YOUR EMPLOYMENT) MAY BE LITIGATED OR ARBITRATED ON A CLASS OR COLLECTIVE BASIS. YOU ALSO HEREBY WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO SUBMIT, INITIATE, OR PARTICIPATE IN A REPRESENTATIVE CAPACITY OR AS A PLAINTIFF, CLAIMANT, OR MEMBER IN A CLASS ACTION, COLLECTIVE
ACTION, OR OTHER REPRESENTATIVE OR JOINT ACTION AGAINST THE COMPANY, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE ACTION IS FILED IN ARBITRATION OR IN A JUDICIAL OR ADMINISTRATIVE FORUM. FURTHERMORE, IF A COURT ORDERS THAT A CLASS, COLLECTIVE, OR OTHER REPRESENTATIVE
OR JOINT ACTION SHOULD PROCEED, IN NO EVENT WILL SUCH ACTION PROCEED IN AN ARBITRATION FORUM. CLAIMS MAY NOT BE JOINED OR CONSOLIDATED IN ARBITRATION WITH DISPUTES BROUGHT BY ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL(S), UNLESS AGREED TO IN WRITING BY ALL PARTIES. 

16. Construction. The section or paragraph headings or titles herein are for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a
part of this Agreement. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that each party has reviewed and negotiated the terms and provisions of this Agreement and has had the opportunity to contribute to its revision. Accordingly, the rule of construction
to the effect that ambiguities are resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of this Agreement. Rather, the terms of this Agreement shall be construed in a reasonable manner to effect the intentions of both
parties hereto and not in favor or against either party. 
 17. Section 409A. Payments under this Agreement are
intended to be exempt from, or comply with, Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“Section 409A”) and this Agreement will be interpreted to achieve this result.
For purposes of this Agreement, each payment in a series of payments hereunder shall be deemed to be a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A. In no event is the Company responsible for any tax or penalty owed by you (other than for
withholding obligations or other obligations applicable to employers, if any, under Section 409A) with respect to payments under this Agreement. 

18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which shall
constitute one and the same instrument, and electronically delivered copies of executed counterparts shall be deemed to be originals for all purposes. 

  
 -9- 

 YOU HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN A PERIOD OF AT LEAST
TWENTY-ONE (21) DAYS TO CONSIDER WHETHER TO EXECUTE THIS AGREEMENT, AND THAT CHANGES TO THIS AGREEMENT, WHETHER MATERIAL OR IMMATERIAL, WILL NOT RESTART THE RUNNING OF THE
TWENTY-ONE (21) DAY PERIOD. YOU ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU WERE ADVISED BY THE COMPANY IN WRITING TO CONSULT WITH AN ATTORNEY BEFORE SIGNING THIS AGREEMENT. 

*     *     * 

  
 -10- 

 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date set forth
below. 
  

			
	MELINTA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
	
	 /s/ David Gill

	By: David Gill
	Chairman
	Melinta Board of Directors
	
	Dated: August 29, 2019

  

			
	JOHN H. JOHNSON
	
	 /s/ John H. Johnson

	John H. Johnson
	
	Dated: August 29, 2019

 To be signed by September 10, 2019 

 Exhibit A 

Indemnification Agreement 

This Indemnification Agreement (“Agreement”), dated as of [DATE], is by and between MELINTA THERAPEUTICS, INC., a Delaware
corporation (the “Company”), and JOHN H. JOHNSON (“Indemnitee”). 
 WHEREAS, the board of directors of the
Company (the “Board”) has determined that enhancing the ability of the Company to retain and attract as consultants the most capable persons is in the best interests of the Company and that the Company therefore should seek to
assure such persons that indemnification and insurance coverage is available; and 
 WHEREAS, in recognition of the need to provide
Indemnitee with substantial protection against personal liability, in order to procure Indemnitee’s service as a consultant of the Company and to enhance Indemnitee’s ability to serve the Company in an effective manner, and in order to
provide such protection pursuant to express contract rights, the Company wishes to provide in this Agreement for the indemnification of, and the advancement of Expenses (as defined below) to, Indemnitee as set forth in this Agreement and the
coverage of Indemnitee under the Company’s directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policy. 
 NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the foregoing and Indemnitee’s agreement to provide services to the Company, the parties agree as follows: 
 1.
Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings: 
 “Agreement”
shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the preamble. 
 “Board” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the recitals.

 “Claim” means: 

(a) any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, proceeding or alternative dispute resolution mechanism, whether civil,
criminal, administrative, arbitrative, investigative or other, and whether made pursuant to federal, state or other law; or 

(b) any inquiry, hearing or investigation that Indemnitee in good faith reasonably determines might lead to the institution of
any such action, suit, proceeding or alternative dispute resolution mechanism. 
 “Company” shall have the meaning ascribed
to it in the preamble. 
 “Constituent Documents” means the Company’s certificate of incorporation and/or bylaws. 

“Delaware Court” shall mean the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware. 

“Enterprise” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the definition of “Indemnifiable Event” in this
Section 1. 
 “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. 

“Expense Advance” means any payment of Expenses advanced to Indemnitee by the Company pursuant to Section 3 or
Section 4 hereof. 

 Exhibit A 
  

 “Expenses” means any and all reasonable expenses, including reasonable
attorneys’ and experts’ fees, court costs, transcript costs, travel expenses, duplicating, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, and all other costs and expenses incurred in connection with investigating, defending, being a
witness in or participating in (including on appeal), or preparing to defend, be a witness or participate in, any Claim. Expenses also shall include (a) Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Claim, including without
limitation the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent and (b) for purposes of Section 4 only, Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the
interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement, by litigation or otherwise. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against
Indemnitee. 
 “Indemnifiable Event” means any event or occurrence, whether occurring before, on or after the date of this
Agreement, related to the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, member, manager,
trustee or agent of any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity or enterprise (collectively with the Company, “Enterprise”) or by reason of an action or inaction by Indemnitee
in any such capacity (whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any Loss is incurred for which indemnification can be provided under this Agreement). 

“Indemnitee” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the preamble. 

“Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporate law and
neither presently performs, nor in the past 5 years has performed, services for either: (a) the Company or Indemnitee (other than in connection with matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement or of other indemnitees under similar
agreements) or (b) any other party to the Claim giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any Person who, under the applicable standards of
professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. 

“Losses” means any and all Expenses, damages, losses, liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties (whether civil, criminal or
other), ERISA excise taxes, amounts paid in settlement, including any interest, assessments, any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement and all other charges
paid in connection with investigating, defending, being a witness in or participating in (including on appeal), or preparing to defend, be a witness or participate in, any Claim. 

“Notification Date” has the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 8. 

“Person” means any individual, corporation, firm, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, estate, trust,
business association, organization, governmental entity or other entity and includes the meaning set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act. 

“Standard of Conduct Determination” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 8(b). 

2. Indemnification. Subject to any express exceptions set forth in this Agreement, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee, to the
fullest extent permitted by the laws of the State of Delaware in effect on the date hereof, or as such laws may from time to time hereafter be amended to increase the scope of such permitted indemnification, against any and all Losses actually paid
or incurred by Indemnitee if Indemnitee 

 Exhibit A 
  

 
was or is or becomes a party to or participant in, or is threatened to be made a party to or participant in, any Claim by reason of or arising in part out of an Indemnifiable Event, including
without limitation Claims brought by or in the right of the Company, Claims brought by third parties and Claims in which Indemnitee is solely a witness, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not
opposed to the best interests of the Company, and with respect to any criminal Indemnifiable Event, had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. 

3. Advancement of Expenses. Indemnitee shall have the right to advancement by the Company, prior to the final disposition of any Claim
by final adjudication to which there are no further rights of appeal, of any and all Expenses actually and reasonably paid or incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Claim arising out of an Indemnifiable Event. Indemnitee’s right to such
advancement is not subject to the satisfaction of any standard of conduct. Without limiting the generality or effect of the foregoing, within 20 days after any written request by Indemnitee, the Company shall, in accordance with such request,
(a) pay such Expenses on behalf of Indemnitee, (b) advance to Indemnitee funds in an amount sufficient to pay such Expenses or (c) reimburse Indemnitee for such Expenses. Such request or requests shall reasonably evidence the Expenses
incurred by Indemnitee and shall include or be preceded or accompanied by an undertaking by or on behalf of Indemnitee to repay any Expenses advanced if a court of competent jurisdiction shall have finally determined that Indemnitee is not entitled
to be indemnified against such Expenses under the provisions of this Agreement, the Charter, the Constituent Documents, applicable law or otherwise; provided that, in connection with any request for Expense Advances, Indemnitee shall not be
required to provide any documentation or information to the extent that the provision thereof would undermine or otherwise jeopardize attorney-client privilege. 

4. Indemnification for Expenses in Enforcing Rights. Subject to any express exceptions set forth in this Agreement, to the fullest
extent allowable under applicable law, the Company shall also indemnify against, and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall advance to Indemnitee subject to and in accordance with this Agreement, any Expenses actually and reasonably paid or incurred by
Indemnitee in connection with any good faith action or proceeding by Indemnitee for indemnification or reimbursement or advance payment of Expenses by the Company under any provision of this Agreement, or under any provision of the Constituent
Documents now or hereafter in effect relating to Claims relating to Indemnifiable Events. 
 5. Partial Indemnity. If Indemnitee is
entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for a portion of any Losses in respect of a Claim related to an Indemnifiable Event but not for the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify
Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which Indemnitee is entitled. 
 6. Notification and Defense of Claims. 

(a) Notification of Claims. Indemnitee shall notify the Company in writing as soon as practicable of any Claim which
could relate to an Indemnifiable Event or for which Indemnitee could seek Expense Advances, including a brief description (based upon information then available to Indemnitee) of the nature of, and the facts underlying, such Claim. The failure by
Indemnitee to timely notify the Company hereunder shall not relieve the Company from any liability hereunder, 
 (b)
Defense of Claims. The Company shall be entitled to participate in the defense of any Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event at its own expense and, except as otherwise provided below, to the extent the Company so wishes, it may assume the
defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to Indemnitee. After notice from the Company to Indemnitee of its election to assume the defense of any such Claim, the Company shall not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise
for any Expenses subsequently directly incurred by Indemnitee in connection with Indemnitee’s defense of such Claim other than reasonable costs of investigation or 

 Exhibit A 
  

 
as otherwise provided below. Indemnitee shall have the right to employ its own legal counsel in such Claim, but all Expenses related to such counsel incurred after notice from the Company of its
assumption of the defense shall be at Indemnitee’s own expense; provided, however, that if (i) Indemnitee’s employment of its own legal counsel has been authorized by the Company, (ii) Indemnitee has reasonably determined that
there may be a conflict of interest between Indemnitee and the Company in the defense of such Claim or (iii) the Company shall not in fact have employed counsel to assume the defense of such Claim, then Indemnitee shall be entitled to retain
its own separate counsel (but not more than one law firm plus, if applicable, local counsel in respect of any such Claim) and all Expenses related to such separate counsel shall be borne by the Company. 

7. Procedure upon Application for Indemnification. In order to obtain indemnification pursuant to this Agreement, Indemnitee shall
submit to the Company a written request therefor, including in such request such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to
indemnification following the final disposition of the Claim; provided that documentation and information need not be so provided to the extent that the provision thereof would undermine or otherwise jeopardize attorney-client privilege.
Indemnification shall be made insofar as the Company determines Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification in accordance with this Agreement. 

8. Determination of Right to Indemnification. 

(a) Mandatory Indemnification; Indemnification as a Witness.  

(i) To the extent that Indemnitee shall have been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any Claim relating to an
Indemnifiable Event or any portion thereof or in defense of any issue or matter therein, including without limitation dismissal without prejudice, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Losses relating to such Claim in accordance with this
Agreement to the fullest extent allowable by law. 
 (ii) To the extent that Indemnitee’s involvement in a Claim
relating to an Indemnifiable Event is to prepare to serve and serve as a witness, and not as a party, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Losses incurred in connection therewith to the fullest extent allowable by law. 

(b) Standard of Conduct. To the extent that the provisions of Section 8(a) are inapplicable to a Claim related
to an Indemnifiable Event that shall have been finally disposed of, any determination of whether Indemnitee has satisfied any applicable standard of conduct under Delaware law that is a legally required condition to indemnification of Indemnitee
hereunder against Losses relating to such Claim and any determination that Expense Advances must be repaid to the Company (a “Standard of Conduct Determination”) shall be made by Independent Counsel in a written opinion
addressed to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee. 
 The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless
Indemnitee against and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall reimburse Indemnitee for, or advance to Indemnitee, within 20 days of such request, any and all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in cooperating with the Person or Persons making such Standard
of Conduct Determination. 

 Exhibit A 
  

 (c) Making the Standard of Conduct Determination. The Company shall
use its reasonable best efforts to cause any Standard of Conduct Determination to be made as promptly as practicable. If the Person or Persons designated to make the Standard of Conduct Determination shall not have made a determination within 20
days after the later of (A) receipt by the Company of a written request from Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 7 (the date of such receipt being the “Notification Date”) and (B) the selection of an
Independent Counsel, if such determination is to be made by Independent Counsel, then Indemnitee shall be deemed to have satisfied the applicable standard of conduct; provided that such 20-day period
may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional 30 days if the Person or Persons making such determination in good faith require such additional time to obtain or evaluate information relating thereto. If the determination of
entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to this Section 8, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 8(c). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board of the
Company, but only an Independent Counsel to which Indemnitee does not object. Within 10 days after such written notice of selection shall have been given, Indemnitee may deliver to the Company, a written objection to such selection. If a
written objection is properly and time made, the Independent Counsel selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn. If, within 20 days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for
indemnification pursuant to this Agreement, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the Delaware Court or other court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any
objection which shall have been made to the selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the court or by such other person as the court shall designate, and the person with respect to
whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel hereunder. 
 (d) Payment
of Indemnification. If, in regard to any Losses: 
 (i) Indemnitee shall be entitled to indemnification pursuant to
Section 8(a); 
 (ii) no Standard Conduct Determination is legally required as a condition to indemnification of
Indemnitee hereunder; or 
 (iii) Indemnitee has been determined or deemed pursuant to Section 8(b) or Section 8(c)
to have satisfied the Standard of Conduct Determination, 
 then the Company shall pay to Indemnitee, within 20 days after the later of
(A) the Notification Date or (B) the earliest date on which the applicable criterion specified in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) is satisfied, an amount equal to such Losses. 

(e) Presumptions and Defenses.  

(i) Indemnitee’s Entitlement to Indemnification. In making any Standard of Conduct Determination, the
Person or Persons making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee has satisfied the applicable standard of conduct and is entitled to indemnification, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption and establish
that Indemnitee is not so entitled. Any Standard of Conduct Determination that is adverse to Indemnitee may be challenged by Indemnitee in the Delaware Court. No determination by the Company (including by its directors or any Independent Counsel)
that Indemnitee has not satisfied any applicable standard of conduct may be used as a defense to any legal proceedings brought by Indemnitee to secure indemnification or reimbursement or advance payment of Expenses by the Company hereunder or create
a presumption that Indemnitee has not met any applicable standard of conduct. 

 Exhibit A 
  

 (ii) Reliance as a Safe Harbor. For purposes of this Agreement, and
without creating any presumption as to a lack of good faith if the following circumstances do not exist, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the Company if Indemnitee’s actions or omissions to act are taken in good faith reliance upon the records of the Company, including its financial statements, or upon information, opinions, reports or statements furnished to
Indemnitee by the officers or employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries in the course of their duties, or by committees of the Board or by any other Person (including legal counsel, accountants and financial advisors) as to matters
Indemnitee reasonably believes are within such other Person’s professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Company. In addition, the knowledge and/or actions, or failures to act, of any
director, officer, agent or employee of the Company shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnity hereunder. 

(iii) No Other Presumptions. For purposes of this Agreement, the termination of any Claim by judgment, order, settlement
(whether with or without court approval) or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, will not create a presumption that Indemnitee did not meet any applicable standard of conduct or have any particular belief, or that
indemnification hereunder is otherwise not permitted. 
 (iv) Defense to Indemnification and Burden of Proof. It shall
be a defense to any action brought by Indemnitee against the Company to enforce this Agreement (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for Losses incurred in defending against a Claim related to an Indemnifiable Event in advance of its
final disposition) that it is not permissible under applicable law for the Company to indemnify Indemnitee for the amount claimed. In connection with any such action or any related Standard of Conduct Determination, the burden of proving such a
defense or that Indemnitee did not satisfy the applicable standard of conduct shall be on the Company. 
 9. Exclusions.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall not be obligated to: 
 (a) indemnify or
advance funds to Indemnitee for Expenses or Losses with respect to proceedings initiated by Indemnitee, including any proceedings against the Company or its directors, officers, employees or other indemnitees and not by way of defense, except: 

(i) proceedings referenced in Section 4 above (unless a court of competent jurisdiction determines that each of the
material assertions made by Indemnitee in such proceeding was frivolous or not made in good faith); or 
 (ii) where the
Company has joined in or the Board has consented to the initiation of such proceedings. 
 (b) indemnify Indemnitee if a
final decision by a court of competent jurisdiction determines that such indemnification is prohibited by applicable law. 

(c) indemnify Indemnitee for the disgorgement of profits arising from the purchase or sale by Indemnitee of securities of the
Company in violation of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, or any similar successor statute. 

 Exhibit A 
  

 10. Settlement of Claims. The Company shall not be liable to Indemnitee under this
Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of any threatened or pending Claim related to an Indemnifiable Event effected without the Company’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Company shall not settle any
Claim related to an Indemnifiable Event in any manner that would impose any Losses on the Indemnitee without the Indemnitee’s prior written consent. 

11. No Duplication of Payments. The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment in connection with any Claim
made against Indemnitee to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise actually received payment (under any insurance policy, Constituent Documents or otherwise) of the amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder. 

12. Amendments. No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the
parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be binding unless in the form of a writing signed by the party against whom enforcement of the waiver is sought, and no such waiver shall operate as a waiver of any other
provisions hereof (whether or not similar), nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver. Except as specifically provided herein, no failure to exercise or any delay in exercising any right or remedy hereunder shall constitute a waiver
thereof. 
 13. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties
hereto and their respective successors (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company), assigns, spouses, heirs and personal and
legal representatives. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part of the business and/or assets of the Company, by
written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken
place. 
 14. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable in the event that any of the provisions hereof
(including any portion thereof) are held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or otherwise unenforceable, and the remaining provisions shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law. Upon such
determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in a mutually
acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby be consummated as originally contemplated to the greatest extent possible. 

15. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly
given if delivered by hand, against receipt, or mailed, by postage prepaid, certified or registered mail: 
  

	 	(a)	 if to Indemnitee, to the address set forth on the signature page hereto. 

 

	 	(b)	 if to the Company, to: 

Attn: Jennifer Sanfilippo 

44 Whippany Road 

Morristown, NJ 07960 

Notice of change of address shall be effective only when given in accordance with this Section. All notices complying with this Section shall
be deemed to have been received on the date of hand delivery or on the third business day after mailing. 

 Exhibit A 
  

 Notice of change of address shall be effective only when given in accordance with this
Section. All notices complying with this Section shall be deemed to have been received on the date of hand delivery or on the third business day after mailing. 

16. Governing Law and Forum. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of
Delaware applicable to contracts made and to be performed in such state without giving effect to its principles of conflicts of laws. The Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally: (a) agree that any action or proceeding
arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Delaware Court and not in any other state or federal court in the United States, (b) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for
purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement and (c) waive, and agree not to plead or make, any claim that the Delaware Court lacks venue or that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware
Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum. 
 17. Headings. The headings of the sections and paragraphs of this
Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction or interpretation thereof. 

18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an
original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. 
 [SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS] 

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

 

			
	Melinta Therapeutics, Inc.

  

			
	By:	 	
         

			
	 Name: Jennifer Sanfilippo
	 Title: Interim Chief Executive Officer
	
	 John H. Johnson
	
	  

	
	Name:
	
	Address:Exhibit

EXHIBIT 10.1

EXECUTIVE SEVERANCE AGREEMENT

THIS EXECUTIVE SEVERANCE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of June 3, 2019 (the “Effective Date” shall be the date of the Executive’s commencement of employment), by and between Conn’s, Inc., a Delaware corporation with its principal offices at 2445 Technology Forest Blvd, The Woodlands, Texas 77381 (“Conn’s”), and Rodney Lastinger, an individual (the “Executive”).

WHEREAS, Executive has agreed to commence employment with Conn’s as its President, Retail, as of the Effective Date;

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

1.Term of Agreement. This Agreement will commence on the Effective Date and will continue in effect, unless modified in writing, until Executive’s employment with Conn’s terminates.

2.At-Will Employment. Conn’s and Executive acknowledge that the Executive’s employment shall be at-will, within the meaning of applicable law.

		
	3.
	Severance Benefits Under This Agreement.

(a)Termination of Employment for Any Reason. The following financial obligations will exist between Conn’s and Executive upon Executive’s termination of employment for any reason:

(i)Conn’s will pay to Executive earned but unpaid Base Salary through the date of termination;

(ii)Conn’s will pay to Executive any annual incentive plan bonus, or other form of incentive compensation, for which the performance measurement period has ended, but which is unpaid at the time of termination;

		
	(iii)
	Conn’s will pay to Executive any accrued but unpaid vacation;

(iv)Conn’s will pay to Executive any unreimbursed business expenses incurred by the Executive on behalf of Conn’s;

(v)Executive will pay to Conn’s any relocation benefits in accordance with the terms of the Executive’s Offer Letter, which is incorporated herein by reference.

(b)Termination Without Cause, or Voluntary Termination by the Executive for Good Reason, not in Connection with a Change of Control. Except as otherwise provided in Section 3(c), and subject to Executive’s execution and non-revocation of a release of claims pursuant to Section 3(d), if (x) Conn’s terminates Executive’s employment other than (A) for Cause or (B) as a result of Executive’s death or Disability, or (y) Executive voluntarily terminates his employment for Good Reason, Conn’s will pay Executive the following amounts and provide the following benefits:

		
	(i)
	Executive shall continue to receive his Base Salary for the twelve

(12) month period (the “Severance Period”) following such termination, payable in accordance with Conn’s normal payroll practices.

(ii)During the Severance Period, Executive shall receive continued coverage under Conn’s medical, dental, life, disability, and other employee welfare benefit plans in which executive officers of Conn’s are eligible to participate, to the extent Executive is eligible under the terms of such plans immediately prior to Executive’s termination. For purposes of clarity, during the term of this Agreement Conn’s shall provide Executive coverage under a major medical plan. Conn’s obligation to provide the foregoing benefits shall terminate upon Executive’s becoming eligible for comparable employee welfare benefits under a plan or arrangement provided by a new employer. Executive agrees to promptly notify Conn’s of any such employment and the material terms of any employee welfare benefits offered to Executive in connection with such employment.

1

(c)Termination in Connection with a Change of Control. If, during the two (2) year period that begins on the date that is one (1) year prior to a Change of Control and ends on the date that is one (1) year following a Change of Control, Conn’s (or its successor) terminates Executive’s employment other than (A) for Cause or (B) as a result of Executive’s death or Disability, or Executive voluntarily terminates his employment for Good Reason, then, subject to Executive’s execution and non-revocation of a release of claims pursuant to Section 3(d), Conn’s will pay the following amounts and provide the following benefits:

(i)A lump-sum cash payment in an amount equal to two (2) times the Executive’s Base Salary, which, subject to Section 16, shall be payable not later than sixty (60) days following (A) Executive’s termination (if Executive’s employment terminates on or after the date of the Change of Control), or (B) the date of the Change of Control (if Executive’s employment terminates during the one-year period prior to the date of the Change of Control); provided, however, that if the Change of Control is not a “change in control event,” within the meaning of Treasury Regulations issued under Section 409A of the Code, then such amount shall be paid in monthly installments over a period of two years, rather than a lump sum payment. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 3(c)(i)(B), the amount payable to Executive under this Section 3(c)(i) shall be reduced by the payments, if any, received by Executive pursuant to Section 3(b)(i).

(ii)Conn’s will offer the Executive and any eligible family members the opportunity to elect to continue medical and dental coverage pursuant to COBRA. The Executive will be responsible for paying the required monthly premium for that coverage, but Conn’s will pay the Executive a lump sum cash stipend equal to 12 times the portion of the monthly premium that would have been paid by Conn’s for the same level of health and dental coverage the Executive had in effect immediately prior to his termination if the Executive were actively employed by Conn’s, and the Executive may, but is not required to, choose to use the stipend for the payment of COBRA premiums for any COBRA coverage that the Executive or eligible family members may elect. Conn’s will pay the stipend to the Executive within sixty (60) days after Executive’s termination of employment, or such later
date required under Section 16, whether or not the Executive or any eligible family member elects COBRA coverage, whether or not the Executive continues COBRA coverage for the maximum period permitted by law, and whether or not the Executive receives medical or dental coverage  from  another  employer  while  the Executive is receiving COBRA continuation coverage. Payment of the stipend will not in any way extend or modify the Executive’s continuation coverage rights under COBRA or any similar continuation coverage law.

(iii) All awards held by the Executive under the 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan shall immediately vest and if applicable, continue to be exercisable during the 12-month period following the date of termination as if Executive had remained an employee of Conn’s. 

The terms of this Section 3(c) are continuing in nature and shall survive until the one (1) year anniversary of the earlier of Executive’s termination of employment or termination of this Agreement.

(d)Waiver and Release. Executive’s rights to any payments under 3(b) or 3(c) of this Agreement are contingent on Executive signing and returning, within 21 days following the date of termination (or, if permitted by Conn’s, within 45 days following the date of termination), an executed release of claims in a form prescribed by Conn’s, and not revoking such release within seven (7) days thereafter. Any amounts payable under Section 3(b)(i), 3(c)(i) and 3(c)(ii) shall be delayed until such conditions have been satisfied; provided, however, that if the period during which Executive may consider whether to execute or revoke such a release of claims begins in one calendar year and ends in a subsequent calendar year, all payments under Section 3(b) or 3(c) that otherwise would be payable in the first of such calendar years shall be paid in the subsequent calendar year in accordance with Section 409A of the Code.

4.Attorneys' Fees, Costs and Expenses. Conn’s will reimburse Executive for the reasonable attorney’s fees, costs, and expenses incurred by the Executive in connection with any claim made or action brought by Executive to enforce his rights hereunder, provided such action is not decided in favor of Conn’s.

		
	5.
	Potential Limitation on Payments.

(a)Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if it is determined that 

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any payment or distribution by Conn’s to or for the benefit of the Executive (whether paid or payable or distributed or distributable pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or otherwise, but determined without regard to any additional payments required under this Section 5) (all such payments and benefits, including the payments and benefits under Section 5 hereof, being hereinafter referred to as the “Total Payments”) would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code or any interest or penalties are incurred by the Executive with respect to such excise tax (such excise tax, together with any such interest and penalties, collectively the “Excise Tax”), then the Total Payments will be reduced, in the order specified in Section 5(b), to the extent necessary so that no portion of the Total Payments is subject to the Excise Tax, but only if the net amount of such Total Payments, as so reduced (and after subtracting the net amount of federal,
state, and local income taxes on such reduced Total Payments and after taking into account the phase out of itemized deductions and personal exemptions attributable to such reduced Total Payments) is greater than or equal to the net amount of such Total Payments without such reduction (but after subtracting the net amount of federal, state, and local income taxes on such Total Payments and the amount of Excise Tax to which the Executive would be subject in respect of such unreduced Total Payments and after taking into account the phase out of itemized deductions and personal exemptions attributable to such unreduced Total Payments).

		
	(b)
	The Total Payments will be reduced in the following order:

(i) reduction of any cash severance payments otherwise payable to the Executive that are exempt from Section 409A of the Code; (ii) reduction of any other cash payments or benefits otherwise payable to the Executive that are exempt from Section 409A of the Code, but excluding any payments attributable to any acceleration of vesting or payments with respect to any equity award that are exempt from Section 409A of the Code; (iii) reduction of any other payments or benefits otherwise payable to the Executive on a pro-rata basis or such other manner that complies with Section 409A of the Code, but excluding any payments attributable to any acceleration of vesting and payments with respect to any equity award that are exempt from Section 409A of the Code; and (iv) reduction of any payments attributable to any acceleration of vesting or payments with respect to any equity award that are exempt from Section 409A of the Code, in each case beginning with payments that would otherwise be made last in time.

(c)Subject to the provisions of Section 5(d) hereof, all determinations required to be made under this Section 5, including whether and when Total Payments should be reduced, the amount of such Total Payments, Excise Taxes, and all other related determinations, as well as all assumptions to be utilized in arriving at such determinations, will be made by a nationally recognized certified public accounting firm as may be designated by Conn’s, subject to Executive’s approval which will not be unreasonably withheld (the “Accounting Firm”). All fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm will be borne solely by Conn’s. Any determination by the Accounting Firm will be binding upon Conn’s and the Executive.

(d)As a result of uncertainty in the application of Section 280G and Section 4999 of the Code at the time of the initial calculation by the Accounting Firm hereunder, it is possible that the cash severance payment made by Conn’s will have been less than Conn’s should have paid pursuant to Section 5 hereof (the amount of any such deficiency, the “Underpayment”), or more than Conn’s should have paid pursuant to Section 5 hereof (the amount of any such overage, the “Overpayment”). In the event of an Underpayment, Conn’s will pay the Executive the amount of such Underpayment (together with interest at 120% of the rate provided in Section 1274(b)(2)(B) of the Code) not later than five business days after the amount of such Underpayment is subsequently determined, provided, however, such Underpayment will not be paid later than the end of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the Executive remitted the related taxes. In the event of an Overpayment, the amount of such Overpayment will be paid to Conn’s by the Executive not later than five business days after the amount of such
Overpayment is subsequently determined (together with interest at 120% of the rate provided in Section 1274(b)(2)(B) of the Code).

6.Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(a)“Affiliate” shall mean, with respect to a person, any other person controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the first person.

(b)“Base Salary” shall mean Executive’s annual base salary, as approved by the Compensation Committee of the Board, and effective as of the date immediately prior to the Executive’s termination of employment.

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	(c)
	“Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of Conn’s.

(d)“Cause” shall mean (i) behavior of Executive which is adverse to Conn’s interests, (ii) Executive’s dishonesty, criminal charge or conviction, grossly negligent misconduct, willful misconduct, acts of bad faith, neglect of duty, or (iii) material breach of this Agreement.

		
	(e)
	“Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following events:

(i)Any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Act”)) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of Conn’s representing thirty-five percent (35%) or more of the total voting power represented by Conn’s then outstanding voting securities;

(ii)A change in the composition of the Board occurring within a twelve- month period, as a result of which fewer than a majority of the directors are Incumbent Directors. “Incumbent Directors” will mean directors who either (A) are directors of Conn’s as of the effective date of this Agreement, or (B) are elected, or nominated for election, to the Board with the affirmative votes of at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors at the time of such election or nomination (but will not include an individual whose election or nomination is in connection with an actual or threatened proxy contest relating to the election of directors to Conn’s);

(iii)The consummation of a merger or consolidation of Conn’s with any other entity or corporation, other than a merger or consolidation that would result in the voting securities of Conn’s outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or such surviving entity’s parent) at least fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power represented by the voting securities of Conn’s or such surviving entity or such surviving entity’s parent outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation; or

		
	(iv)
	The sale, lease, exchange or other transfer, directly or indirectly, of

		
	(A)
	all or substantially all of the assets of Conn’s (in one transaction or in a series

of related transactions), or (B) one of the significant operating divisions of Conn’s, including the Retail and Credit Divisions.

(f)“Confidential Information” shall mean information: (i) disclosed to or known by the Executive as a consequence of or through his employment with Conn’s, (ii) not generally known outside Conn’s, and (iii) which relates to any aspect of Conn’s or its business, research, or development. “Confidential Information” includes, but is not limited to Conn’s trade secrets, proprietary information, business plans, marketing plans, methodologies, computer code and programs, formulas, processes, compilations of information, results of research, proposals, reports, records, financial information, compensation and benefit information, cost and pricing information, customer lists and contact information, supplier lists and contact information, vendor lists and contact information, and information provided to Conn’s by a third party under restrictions against disclosure or use by Conn’s or others; provided, however, that the term “Confidential Information” does not include information that (a) at the time it was received by Executive was generally available to the public, (b) prior to its use by Executive, becomes generally available to the public through no act or failure of Executive, (c) is received by Executive from a person or entity other than Conn’s or an Affiliate of Conn’s who is not under an obligation of confidence with respect to such information, or (d) was generally known by Executive by virtue of his experience and know-how gained prior to employment with Conn’s.

(g)“Control” and correlative terms shall mean the power, whether by contract, equity ownership, or otherwise, to direct the policies or management of a person.

(h)“Copyright Works” shall mean materials for which copyright protection may be obtained including, but not limited to literary works (including all written material), computer programs, artistic and graphic works (including designs, graphs, drawings, blueprints, and other works), recordings, models, photographs, slides, motion pictures, and audio-visual works, regardless of the form or manner in which documented or recorded.

(i)“Disability” shall mean Executive’s permanent disability (A) as determined in accordance with the disability insurance that Conn’s may then have in effect, if any, or
(B)if no such insurance is in effect, shall mean that Executive is subject to a medical determination that he, because 

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of a medically determinable disease, injury, or other mental or physical disability, is unable to perform substantially all of his then regular duties, and that such disability is determined or reasonably expected to last at least twelve (12) months, based on then-available medical information.

(j)“Good Reason” shall mean, (A) without Executive’s express written consent, the material diminution of the Executive’s title, duties, authority, or responsibilities, relative to Executive’s duties, authority, or responsibilities as in effect immediately prior to such reduction, or the assignment to Executive of such reduced duties, authority, or responsibilities, (B) without Executive’s express written consent, a substantial reduction, without good business reasons, of the facilities and perquisites (including office space and location) available to the Executive immediately prior to such reduction, (C) a material reduction of Executive’s Base Salary or annual bonus opportunity, each as in effect as of the Effective Date, (D) a material reduction in the kind or level of employee benefits, including additional bonus opportunities, to which the Executive was entitled
immediately prior to such reduction with the result that the Executive’s overall benefits package is significantly reduced, (E) for purposes of Section 3(c) only, the failure of Conn’s to obtain the assumption of this Agreement by any successors contemplated in Section 9 below, or (F) for purposes of Section 3(c) only, the transfer of Executive’s principal place of employment to a location that is more than one-hundred (100) miles from Executive’s principal place of employment immediately prior to the Change of Control, or
(G) any act or set of facts or circumstances that would, under case law or statute, constitute a constructive termination of Executive. Executive may terminate his employment for Good Reason only if (1) Executive provides written notice to Conn’s of the occurrence of the Good Reason event (as described above) within thirty (30) days after Executive knows or reasonably should know of the circumstances constituting Good Reason, which notice shall specifically identify the circumstances which Executive believes constitute Good Reason; (2) Conn’s fails to correct the circumstances constituting Good Reason within thirty (30) days after such notice; and (3) Executive resigns for Good Reason within thirty
(30) days after the expiration of the correction period described in clause (2) hereof.

(k)“Person” shall mean an individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, trust, or unincorporated organization, or a government or agency or political subdivision thereof.

(l)“Work Product” shall mean all methods, analyses, reports, plans, computer files and all similar or related information which (i) relate to Conn’s or any of its Affiliates and (ii) are conceived, developed, or made by Executive in the course of his employment by Conn’s.

7.Non-Disclosure, Non-Competition, and Non-Solicitation. Executive and Conn’s acknowledge and agree that during and solely as a result of his employment by Conn’s, Conn’s has provided and will continue to provide Confidential Information and special training to Executive to allow Executive to fulfill his obligations as an executive of a publicly-held company and under this Agreement. In consideration of the special and unique opportunities afforded to Executive by Conn’s as a result of Executive’s employment, as outlined in the previous sentence, Executive hereby agrees as follows:

(a)Executive agrees that Executive will not, except as Conn’s may otherwise consent or direct in writing, reveal or disclose, sell, use, lecture upon, publish, or otherwise disclose to any third party any Confidential Information of Conn’s or any of its Affiliates, or authorize anyone else to do these things at any time either during or subsequent to Executive’s employment with Conn’s. This Section 7(a) shall continue in full force and effect after termination of Executive’s employment for any reason. Executive’s obligations under this Section 7(a) with respect to any specific Confidential Information shall cease only when that specific portion of the Confidential Information becomes publicly known, other than as a result of disclosure by Executive, in its entirety and without combining portions of such information obtained separately. It is understood that such Confidential Information of Conn’s and any of its Affiliates includes matters that Executive conceives or develops, as well as matters Executive learns from other executives of Conn’s and any of its Affiliates. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, nothing in this Agreement shall (i) prohibit the Executive from making reports of possible violations of federal law or regulation to any governmental agency or entity in accordance with the provisions of and rules promulgated under Section 21F of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 or Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or of any other whistleblower protection provisions of state or federal law or regulation, or (ii) require notification or prior approval by Conn’s of any reporting described in clause (i) above.

(b)Executive agrees that for the duration of this Agreement, and for a period of twelve (12) months following Executive’s termination of employment for any reason other than in connection with a Change of Control 

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(as described in Section 3(c)), Executive shall not (other than for the benefit of Conn’s or any of its Affiliates pursuant to this Agreement) compete with Conn’s or any of its Affiliates by engaging in the conception, design, development, production, marketing, or servicing of any product or service that is substantially similar to the products or services which Conn’s or any of its Affiliates provides, and that he will not work for, assist, loan money, extend credit, or become affiliated with as an individual, owner, partner, director, officer, stockholder, employee, advisor, independent contractor, joint venturer, consultant, agent, representative, salesman, or any other competitive capacity, either directly or indirectly, any individual or business which offers or performs services, or offers or provides products substantially similar to the services and products provided by Conn’s or any of its Affiliates. The scope of the restrictions of this Section 7(b) are nationwide, given Executive’s nationwide responsibilities. The restrictions of this Section 7(b) shall not be violated by the ownership of no more than 1% of the outstanding securities of any company whose equity securities are traded on a national securities exchange, including the NASDAQ Global Select Market.

(c)Executive agrees that for the duration of this Agreement, and for a period of twelve (12) months following Executive’s termination of employment for any reason, Executive shall not either directly or indirectly, on his behalf or on behalf of others, solicit, attempt to hire, or hire any person employed by Conn’s and any of its Affiliates to work for Executive or for another entity, firm, corporation, or individual.

(d)Executive acknowledges that Conn’s has taken reasonable steps to maintain the confidentiality of its Confidential Information and the ownership of its Work Product and Copyright Works, which is extremely valuable to Conn’s and provides Conn’s with a competitive advantage in its market. Executive further acknowledges that Conn’s would suffer irreparable harm if Executive were to use or enable others to use such knowledge, information, and business acumen in competition with Conn’s. Executive acknowledges the necessity of the restrictive covenants set forth herein to: protect Conn’s legitimate interests in Conn’s Confidential Information; protect Conn’s customer relations and the goodwill with customers and suppliers that Conn’s has established at its substantial investment; and protect Conn’s as a result of providing Executive with specialized knowledge, training, and insight regarding Conn’s operations as a publicly-held company. Executive further agrees and acknowledges that these restrictive covenants are reasonably limited as to time, geographic area, and scope of activities to be restricted and that such promises do not impose a greater restraint on Executive than is necessary to protect the goodwill, Confidential Information, and other legitimate business interests of Conn’s. Executive agrees that any breach of this Section 7 cannot be remedied solely by money damages, and that in addition to any other remedies Conn’s may have, Conn’s is entitled to obtain injunctive relief against Executive without the requirement of posting bond or other security. Nothing herein, however, shall be construed as limiting Conn’s right to pursue any other available remedy at law or in equity, including recovery of damages and termination of this Agreement.
(e)Executive acknowledges that all writings, records, and other documents and things comprising, containing, describing, discussing, explaining, or evidencing any Confidential Information, Work Product, and/or Copyright Works of Conn’s, any Affiliate of Conn’s, or any third party with which Conn’s has a confidential relationship, is the property of Conn’s or such Affiliate. All property belonging to Conn’s in Executive’s custody or possession that has been obtained or prepared in the course of Executive’s employment with Conn’s shall be the exclusive property of Conn’s, shall not be copied and/or removed from the premises of Conn’s, except in pursuit of the business of Conn’s, and shall be delivered to Conn’s, along with all copies or reproductions of same, upon notification of the termination of Executive’s employment or at any other time requested by Conn’s. Conn’s shall have the right to retain, access, and inspect all property of any kind in Executive’s office, work area, and on the premises of Conn’s upon termination of Executive’s employment and at any time during Executive’s employment, to ensure compliance with the terms of this Agreement.

The terms of this Section 7 are continuing in nature and shall survive the termination or expiration of this Agreement.

8.Notices. All notices and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be delivered personally or by facsimile or electronic delivery, given by hand delivery to the other party, sent by overnight courier or sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, to:

If to Executive:    Rodney Lastinger
2445 Technology Forest Blvd The Woodlands, Texas 77381 

If to Conn’s:        Conn’s, Inc.
2445 Technology Forest Blvd. The Woodlands, Texas 77381

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Attn: Office of the General Counsel 

9.Assignment. Conn’s shall require any successors (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to a controlling interest in the business, assets, or equity of Conn’s (or, if applicable, a material division of Conn’s, including the Retail or Credit division) to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that Conn’s would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place. This Agreement is a personal employment contract and the rights, obligations, and interests of Executive under this Agreement may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged, or hypothecated by Executive.

10.Binding Agreement. Executive understands that his obligations under this Agreement are binding upon Executive’s heirs, successors, personal representatives, and legal representatives.

11.Arbitration. Except for any controversy or claim relating to Section 7 of this Agreement, any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the breach of
any provision of this Agreement, including the arbitrability of any controversy or claim, shall be settled by arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) under its National Rules for the Resolution of Employment Disputes and the Optional Rules for Emergency Measures of Protection of the AAA, and judgment upon the award rendered by the arbitrator(s) may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. Any provisional remedy, which would be available from a court of law, shall be available from the arbitrator to the parties to this Agreement pending arbitration. Arbitration of disputes is mandatory and in lieu of any and all civil causes of action and lawsuits either party may have against the other arising out of Executive’s employment with Conn’s. Civil discovery shall be permitted for the production of documents and taking of depositions. The arbitrator(s) shall be guided by the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure in allowing discovery and all issues regarding compliance with discovery requests shall be decided by the arbitrator(s). The Federal Arbitration Act shall govern this Section 11. This Agreement shall in all other respects be governed and interpreted by the laws of the State of Texas, excluding any conflicts or choice of law rule or principles that might otherwise refer construction or interpretation of this Agreement to the substantive law of another jurisdiction. The arbitration shall be conducted in the city of Conn’s corporate offices by one neutral arbitrator chosen by AAA according to its National Rules for the Resolution of Employment Disputes if the amount of the claim is one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) or less and by three neutral arbitrators chosen by AAA in the same manner if the amount of the claim is more than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00). Neither party nor the arbitrator(s) may disclose the existence, content, or results of any arbitration hereunder without the prior written consent of both parties unless compelled to do so either by judicial process or to enforce an arbitration award rendered pursuant to this Section 11. All fees and expenses of the arbitration shall be borne by the parties equally.

12.Waiver. No waiver by either party to this Agreement of any right to enforce any term or condition of this Agreement, or of any breach of this Agreement, shall be deemed a waiver of such right in the future or of any other right or remedy available under this Agreement.

13.Severability. If any provision of this Agreement as applied to either party or to any circumstances shall be adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction or arbitrator to be void or unenforceable, the same shall in no way affect any other provision of this Agreement or the validity or enforceability of this Agreement. If any court or arbitrator construes any of the provisions of Section 7 of this Agreement, or any part thereof, to be unreasonable because of the duration of such provision or the geographic or other scope thereof, such court or arbitrator shall reduce the duration or restrict the geographic or other scope of such provision or enforce such provision to the maximum extent possible as so reduced or restricted.

14.Entire Agreement; Amendment. This Agreement shall constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement replaces and supersedes any and all existing agreements entered into between Executive and Conn’s, whether oral or written, regarding the subject matter of this Agreement, except that this Agreement shall modify and supersede any equity award agreement between Executive and Conn’s under the 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan as expressly set forth herein. The terms of this Agreement shall prevail to the extent of any conflict between the terms of this Agreement and any equity award agreement between Executive and Conn’s under the Conn’s 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan. This Agreement may not be amended or modified other than by a written agreement executed by the parties to this Agreement or their respective successors and legal representatives.
15.Understand Agreement. Executive represents and warrants that he has (i) read and understood each and every provision of this Agreement, (ii) been given the opportunity to obtain advice from legal counsel of choice, if necessary and desired, to interpret any and all provisions of this Agreement, and (iii) freely and voluntarily entered into this Agreement.

16.Section 409A of the Code. This Agreement is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, and shall be interpreted and construed consistently with such intent. The payments to Executive pursuant to this 

7

Agreement are also intended to be exempt from Section 409A of the Code to the maximum extent possible, under either the separation pay exemption pursuant to Treasury regulation §1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii) or as short-term deferrals pursuant to Treasury regulation §1.409A-1(b)(4), and for such purposes, each payment to Executive under this Agreement shall be considered a separate payment. In the event the terms of this Agreement would subject Executive to taxes or penalties under Section 409A of the Code (“409A Penalties”), Conn’s and Executive shall cooperate diligently to amend the terms of the Agreement to avoid such 409A Penalties, to the extent possible; provided, however, that in no event shall Conn’s be responsible for any 409A Penalties that arise in connection with any amounts payable under this Agreement. To the extent any amounts under this Agreement are payable by reference to Executive’s “termination of employment,” such term and similar terms shall be deemed to refer to Executive’s “separation from service,” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement, to the extent any payment hereunder constitutes nonqualified deferred compensation, within the meaning of Section 409A, and Executive is a specified employee (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code) as of the date of Executive’s separation from service, each such payment that is payable upon Executive’s separation from service and would have been paid prior to the six-month anniversary of Executive’s separation from service, shall be delayed until the earlier to occur of (i) the first day of the seventh month following Executive’s separation from service or (ii) the date of Executive’s death. Any reimbursement payable to Executive pursuant to this Agreement shall be conditioned on the submission by Executive of all expense reports reasonably required by Employer under any applicable expense reimbursement policy, and shall be paid to Executive in accordance with Conn’s expense reimbursement policy, but in no event later than the last day of the calendar year following the calendar year in which Executive incurred the reimbursable expense. Any amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefit provided, during a calendar year shall not affect the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefit to be provided, during any other calendar year. The right to any reimbursement or in-kind benefit pursuant to this Agreement shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for any other benefit.

17.Recoupment. (a) Any portion of the payments, equity grants, equity vesting, including those under the 2016 Omnibus Incentive Plan, Conn’s annual performance bonus opportunity, and benefits provided under this Agreement, as well as any other payments and benefits which you receive pursuant to a Company plan or other arrangement, shall be subject to recoupment and clawback to the extent necessary to comply with the requirements of the Dodd- Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, any Securities and Exchange Commission rule, or any policy that may be adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors, as amended from time to time. Executive agrees to fully cooperate with Conn’s in assuring compliance with such policies and provisions of applicable law.

(b) In addition, the payments outlined in Section 17(a), as well as any sign-on bonus paid to Executive, shall be subject to recoupment and clawback in the event of Executive’s termination for Cause.
18.Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas and is performable in the city of Conn’s corporate offices.

19.Professional/Personal. Membership by Executive on corporate and civic boards should be accepted only after consideration of conflict of interest and consultation with the Chairman of the Board.

20.Titles; Pronouns and Plurals. The titles to the sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience of reference only and should not be deemed a part hereof or affect the construction or interpretation of any provision hereof. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine, or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns, pronouns, and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa.

[Signature Page Follows]

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

	
		
	 
	CONN’S, INC.

	 
	 

	 
	By:   /s/ Mark Prior

	 
	Name:   Mark Prior

	 
	Title:   General Counsel

	 
	Date:   June 3, 2019

	 
	 

	 
	 

	 
	Executive: Rodney Lastinger

	 
	 

	 
	Signature:   /s/ Rodney Lastinger

	 
	Print Name:   Rodney Lastinger

	 
	Date:   May 30, 2019

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