EXHIBIT 10.30
WARRANT AGENT AGREEMENT
WARRANT AGENT AGREEMENT, dated as of September 17, 2010 (“Agreement”), between Apricus Biosciences, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (the “Warrant Agent”).
R E C I T A L S
WHEREAS, pursuant to an effective registration statement, SEC File No. 333-169132, the Company wishes to issue an aggregate of up to 1,728,882 Units, each unit consisting of (i) three shares of common stock, par value $0.001 (the “Common Stock”), and (ii) one Common Stock Warrant (each a “Warrant”), entitling the holder of each Warrant (the “Holders” which term shall include a Holder’s transferees, successors and assigns) to purchase one share of Common Stock upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein and in the Warrant Certificate; and
WHEREAS, the Company wishes the Warrant Agent to act on behalf of the Company, and the Warrant Agent is willing so to act, in connection with the issuance, registration, transfer, exchange, exercise and replacement of the Warrants and, in the Warrant Agent’s capacity as the Company’s transfer agent and registrar, the delivery of the Warrant Shares;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) “Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which The Nasdaq Stock Market is authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
(b) “Close of Business” on any given date means 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day it means 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the next succeeding Business Day.
(c) “Exercise Notice” means with respect to the exercise of a Warrant, a form of election to purchase Common Stock in substantially the form attached to the Warrant Certificate.
(d) “Exercise Price” means, depending on the context, the Initial Exercise Price or the adjusted exercise price per share, adjusted from time to time as described in the Warrant Certificate.
(e) “Initial Exercise Price” means $2.268 per share of Common Stock.
(f) “Person” means an individual, sole proprietorship, corporation, partnership, limited liability partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization, estate or other mutual company, joint stock company, estate, union, employee organization, bank, trust company, land trust or other organization, whether or not a legal entity.
(g) “Warrant Certificate” means a certificate in substantially the form attached as Exhibit A hereto representing such number of Warrant Shares as is indicated on the face thereof, provided that any reference to the delivery of a Warrant Certificate in this Agreement shall include delivery of notice from the Depository or a Participant (each as defined below) of the transfer or exercise of Warrants in the form of a Book-Entry Warrant Certificate (as defined below).
(h) “Warrant Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.
Section 2. Appointment of Warrant Agent. The Company hereby appoints the Warrant Agent to act as agent for the Company in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Warrant Certificate, and the Warrant Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such Co-Warrant Agents as it may, in its sole discretion, deem necessary or desirable.
Section 3. Book-Entry Warrant Certificates.
(a) The Warrants shall be issuable in book entry (the “Book-Entry Warrant Certificates”). All of the Warrants shall initially be represented by one or more Book-Entry Warrant Certificates deposited with the Depository Trust Company (“Depository”) and registered in the name of Cede & Co., a nominee of the Depository. Ownership of beneficial interests in the Warrants shall be shown on, and the transfer of such ownership shall be effected through, records maintained by (i) the Depository or its nominee for each Book-Entry Warrant Certificate or (ii) institutions that have accounts with the Depository (such institution, with respect to a Warrant in its account, a “Participant”).
(b) If the Depository subsequently ceases to make its book-entry settlement system available for the Warrants, the Company may instruct the Warrant Agent regarding other arrangements for book-entry settlement. In the event that the Warrants are not eligible for, or it is no longer necessary to have the Warrants available in, book-entry form, the Warrant Agent shall provide written instructions to the Depository to deliver to the Warrant Agent for cancellation each Book-Entry Warrant Certificate, and the Company shall instruct the Warrant Agent to deliver to each Holder a Warrant Certificate.
Section 4. Form of Warrant Certificates. The Warrant Certificate, together with the Exercise Notice and the form of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto.
Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Warrant Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chief Executive Officer or its President, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Warrant Certificates shall be countersigned by the Warrant Agent either manually or facsimile signature and shall not be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Warrant Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the Warrant Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Warrant Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Warrant Agent, issued and delivered with the same force and effect as though the person who signed such Warrant Certificate had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Warrant Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Warrant Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Warrant Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Warrant Agreement any such person was not such an officer.
The Warrant Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its office in South St. Paul, MN, or at the office of one of its agents, books for registration and transfer of the Warrant Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Warrant Certificates, the number of Warrants evidenced on the face of each of such Warrant Certificate and the date of each of such Warrant Certificate. The Warrant Agent will create a special account for the issuance of Warrant Certificates.
Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Warrant Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Warrant Certificates. Subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof and the last sentence of this first paragraph of Section 6 and subject to compliance with any applicable securities laws, the Warrant Certificate(s) or Book-Entry Warrant Certificate(s) and all rights thereunder, are transferable, in whole or in part, upon surrender of the Warrant Certificate(s) to be transferred at the principal office of the Company or the Warrant Agent, provided that no such surrender is applicable to the Holder of a Book-Entry Warrant Certificate, together with a written assignment of such Warrant Certificate duly executed by the Holder or its agent or attorney and funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes payable upon the making of such transfer. Upon such surrender, and if required, such payment, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant Certificate(s) in the name of such assignee or assignees and in the denomination or denominations specified in such instrument of assignment to the Warrant Agent to be countersigned and delivered to such assignee or assignees. The Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant Certificate evidencing the portion of the Warrant Certificate not so assigned to the Warrant Agent to be countersigned and delivered to the assignor. The original Warrant Certificate shall promptly be cancelled by the Warrant Agent. Any such transfer shall be promptly recorded in the warrant register.
The Company and the Warrant Agent covenant that upon receipt by the Company or the Warrant Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of the Warrant Certificate or any stock certificate relating to the Warrant Shares, and in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to the Company or the Warrant Agent and upon surrender and cancellation of such Warrant or stock certificate, if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Warrant Certificate or stock certificate, of like tenor and denomination, to the Warrant Agent for delivery to the Holder in lieu of such Warrant Certificate or stock certificate.
Section 7. Exercise of Warrants.
(a) Subject to the provisions of the applicable Warrant Certificate, the Holder of a Warrant may exercise the Warrant at any time in whole or in part, at the option of the Holder, upon surrender of the Warrant Certificate, if required, with the executed Exercise Notice and payment of the Exercise Price, which may be made, at the option of the holder, by certified or bank cashier’s check payable to the Company, or a wire transfer of funds to an account designated by the Company, to the Warrant Agent at the principal office of the Warrant Agent in South St. Paul, MN or to the office of one of its agents as may be designated in writing by the Warrant Agent. In the case of the Holder of a Book-Entry Warrant Certificate, the Holder shall deliver the executed Exercise Notice and the payment of the Exercise Price as described herein. Upon receipt of an Exercise Notice for a cashless exercise, the Warrant Agent will promptly deliver a copy of the Exercise Notice to the Company and the Company shall confirm in writing the number of Warrant Shares issuable in connection with the cashless exercise. The Company shall calculate and transmit to the Warrant Agent within one Business Day (and the Warrant Agent shall have no obligation under this section to calculate) the number of Warrant Shares issuable in connection with the cashless exercise.
(b) Upon receipt of by the Warrant Agent of the Warrant Certificate, if applicable, the Exercise Notice and the Exercise Price as described in Section 7(a) above, the Warrant Agent shall use reasonable efforts to cause to be delivered the Warrant Shares to or upon the order of the Holder of such Warrant, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such Holder by the date that is three (3) Business Days after the latest of (A) the delivery to the Warrant Agent of the properly executed and completed Exercise Notice, (B) surrender of the Warrant Certificate (but only if required herein) and (C) payment of the Exercise Price and other amounts as set forth herein or in the Warrant Certificate (including by cashless exercise, if permitted) (such date, the “Warrant Share Delivery Date”); provided, however, that the Warrant Agent shall not be liable to the Company or the Holder for any damages arising out of the failure to deliver the Warrant Shares or Warrant Certificates by the Warrant Share Delivery Date to the extent that such failure relates to the acts or omissions of the Company, a Holder or a Holder’s prime broker. If the Warrant Agent fails to deliver to the Holder a certificate or the certificates representing the Warrant Shares (or, as described below, to credit the account of the Holder’s prime broker through the DWAC system) or Warrant Certificates by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company is then a participant in the Deposit Withdrawal at Custodian (“DWAC”) system of the Depository and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Warrant Shares to and resale of the Warrant Shares by holder or (B) the Warrant is being exercised via cashless exercise, the certificates for Warrant Shares shall be transmitted by the Warrant Agent to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s prime broker with the Depository through its DWAC system.
(c) In case the Holder of any Warrant Certificate shall exercise fewer than all Warrants evidenced thereby, a new Warrant Certificate evidencing the number of Warrants equivalent to the number of Warrants remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Warrant Agent to the Holder of such Warrant Certificate or to his duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Sections 7 and 14 hereof.
Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Warrant Certificates. All Warrant Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its agents, be delivered to the Warrant Agent for cancellation or in canceled form, or, if surrendered to the Warrant Agent, shall be canceled by it, and no Warrant Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Agreement or the Warrant Certificate. The Company shall deliver to the Warrant Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Warrant Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Warrant Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. Subject to applicable laws and regulations, the Warrant Agent shall maintain in a retrievable database electronic records of all canceled or destroyed warrant certificates which have been canceled or destroyed by the Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent shall maintain such electronic records or physical records for the time period required by applicable law and regulation. Upon written request of the Company (and at the expense of the Company), the Warrant Agent shall provide to the Company or its designee copies of such electronic records or physical records relating to warrant certificates canceled or destroyed by the Warrant Agent.
Section 9. Certain Representations; Reservation and Availability of Shares of Common Stock.
(a) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by the Warrant Agent, constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, and the Warrants and the Warrant Shares upon issuance have been duly authorized, executed and issued by the Company and, assuming due authentication thereof by the Warrant Agent pursuant hereto, constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms and entitled to the benefits hereof; in each case except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally or by general equitable principles (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(b) The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock or its authorized and issued shares of Common Stock held in its treasury, free from preemptive rights, the number of shares of Common Stock that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Warrants.
Section 10. Common Stock Record Date. Each person in whose name any certificate for shares of Common Stock is issued (or to whose prime broker’s account is credited shares of Common Stock through the DWAC system) upon the exercise of Warrants shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record for the Common Stock represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Warrant Certificate evidencing such Warrants was duly surrendered (but only if required herein) and payment of the Exercise Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) and submission of the Exercise Notice was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender (if applicable), payment and submission is a date upon which the Common Stock transfer books of the Company are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding day on which the Common Stock transfer books of the Company are open.
Section 11. Adjustment of Exercise Price, Number of Shares of Common Stock or Number of Warrants. The Exercise Price, the number of shares covered by each Warrant and the number of Warrants outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in the Warrant Certificate.
Section 12. Certification of Adjusted Exercise Price or Number of Shares of Common Stock. Whenever the Exercise Price or the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of each Warrant is adjusted as provided in the Warrant Certificate, the Company shall (a) promptly prepare a certificate setting forth the Exercise Price of each Warrant as so adjusted, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) promptly file with the Warrant Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Stock a copy of such certificate and (c) instruct the Warrant Agent to mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Warrant Certificate.
Section 13. Reclassification, Consolidation, Purchase, Combination, Sale or Conveyance. If, at any time while the Warrants are outstanding, the Company shall effect any Fundamental Transaction, as such term is used in the Warrant Certificate, the Company shall instruct the Warrant Agent to mail by first class mail, postage prepaid, to each Holder of a Warrant, written notice of the execution of any such amendment, supplement or agreement. Any supplemented or amended agreement entered into by the successor corporation or transferee shall provide for adjustments as set forth in the Warrant Certificate. The Warrant Agent shall be under no responsibility to determine the correctness of any provisions contained in such agreement relating either to the kind or amount of securities or other property receivable upon exercise of warrants or with respect to the method employed and provided therein for any adjustments and shall be entitled to rely upon the provisions contained in any such agreement. The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive Fundamental Transactions.
Section 14. Agreement of Warrant Certificate Holders. Every holder of a Warrant Certificate by accepting the same consents and agrees with the Company and the Warrant Agent and with every other holder of a Warrant Certificate that:
(a) the Warrant Certificates are transferable only on the registry books of the Warrant Agent if surrendered at the principal office of the Warrant Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer; and
(b) the Company and the Warrant Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name the Warrant Certificate is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Warrants evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Warrant Certificates made by anyone other than the Company or the Warrant Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Warrant Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
Section 15. Concerning the Warrant Agent.
(a) The Company agrees to pay to the Warrant Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Warrant Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder.
(b) The Company covenants and agrees to indemnify and to hold the Warrant Agent harmless against any costs, expenses (including reasonable fees of its legal counsel), losses or damages, which may be paid, incurred or suffered by or to which it may become subject, arising from or out of, directly or indirectly, any claims or liability resulting from its actions as Warrant Agent pursuant hereto; provided, that such covenant and agreement does not extend to, and the Warrant Agent shall not be indemnified with respect to, such costs, expenses, losses and damages incurred or suffered by the Warrant Agent as a result of, or arising out of, its breach of this Agreement or the Warrant Agent’s gross negligence, bad faith, or willful misconduct.
(c) Promptly after the receipt by the Warrant Agent of notice of any demand or claim or the commencement of any action, suit, proceeding or investigation, the Warrant Agent shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the Company, notify the Company thereof in writing. The Company shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense of any such claim or proceeding, and, if it so elects at any time after receipt of such notice, it may assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such claim or of any other legal action or proceeding. For the purposes of this Section 15, the terms “expense” or “loss” mean any amount paid or payable to satisfy any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding, and all reasonable costs and expenses, including, but not limited to, reasonable counsel fees and disbursements, paid or incurred in investigating or defending against any such claim, demand, action, suit, proceeding or investigation.
(d) The Warrant Agent shall be responsible for any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, counsel fees, payments, expenses and liability (collectively, “Losses”), and shall indemnify and hold the Company harmless from and against such Losses, arising out of or attributable to the Warrant Agent’s breach of Section 7(b) of this Agreement.
(e) Promptly after the receipt by the Company of notice of any demand or claim or the commencement of any action, suit, proceeding or investigation, the Company shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the Warrant Agent, notify the Warrant Agent thereof in writing. The Warrant Agent shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense of any such claim or proceeding, and, if it so elects at any time after receipt of such notice, it may assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such claim or of any other legal action or proceeding. Warrant Agent agrees that any Losses under Section 1(g) of the Warrant Certificate will be considered direct damages under this Agreement for which Warrant Agent shall promptly remit payment upon notice of any demand.
Section 16. Purchase or Consolidation or Change of Name of Warrant Agent.
(a) Any corporation into which the Warrant Agent or any successor Warrant Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Warrant Agent or any successor Warrant Agent shall be party, or any corporation succeeding to the business of the Warrant Agent or any successor Warrant Agent, shall be the successor to the Warrant Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, provided that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Warrant Agent under the provisions of Section 18. In case at the time such successor Warrant Agent shall succeed to the agency created by this Agreement any of the Warrant Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Warrant Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Warrant Agent and deliver such Warrant Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Warrant Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Warrant Agent may countersign such Warrant Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Warrant Agent or in the name of the successor Warrant Agent; and in all such cases such Warrant Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Warrant Certificates and in this Agreement.
(b) In case at any time the name of the Warrant Agent shall be changed and at such time any of the Warrant Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, the Warrant Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver Warrant Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Warrant Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Warrant Agent may countersign such Warrant Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Warrant Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Warrant Certificates and in this Agreement.
Section 17. Duties of Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the Holders of Warrant Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Warrant Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Warrant Agent as to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Warrant Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by written (including electronic) instructions of the Chief Executive Officer or President of the Company or by the Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Warrant Agent; and such certificate shall be full authentication to the Warrant Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such writing.
(c) The Warrant Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Warrant Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.
(d) The Warrant Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof by the Warrant Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Warrant Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Warrant Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for the adjustment of the Exercise Price or the making of any change in the number of shares of Common Stock or Warrant Shares required under the provisions of Section 7, Section 11, Section 13 and the Warrant Certificate or responsible for the manner, method or amount of any such change or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment or change (except with respect to the exercise of Warrants evidenced by Warrant Certificates after actual notice of any adjustment of the Exercise Price); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Warrant Certificate or as to whether any shares of Common Stock will, when issued, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
(e) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Warrant Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Warrant Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(f) The Warrant Agent is hereby authorized to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the Chief Executive Officer, the President or the Secretary of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable and shall be indemnified and held harmless for any action taken or suffered to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer, provided Warrant Agent carries out such instructions without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.
(g) The Warrant Agent and any shareholder, director, officer, manager, member or employee of the Warrant Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Warrants or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Warrant Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Warrant Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(h) The Warrant Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorney or agents, and the Warrant Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorney or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.
Section 18. Change of Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon 30 days’ notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Warrant Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Warrant Agent or any successor Warrant Agent upon 30 days’ notice in writing, mailed to the Warrant Agent or successor Warrant Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Common Stock by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Warrant Certificates by first-class mail. If the Warrant Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Warrant Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Warrant Agent or by the holder of a Warrant Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his Warrant Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the Holder of any Warrant Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Warrant Agent. Any successor Warrant Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of a state thereof, in good standing. After appointment, the successor Warrant Agent shall be vested with the same powers, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Warrant Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Warrant Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Warrant Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment, the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Warrant Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Stock, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the Holders of the Warrant Certificates. However, failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 18, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Warrant Agent or the appointment of the successor Warrant Agent, as the case may be.
Section 19. Warrant Exercise Solicitation. From time to time, the Company may engage one or more registered broker-dealer(s) to act as the Company’s agent for the solicitation of the exercise of the Warrants. If so engaged, the Company will provide the Warrant Agent with written notice of the engagement and the Warrant Agent agrees that it will reasonably cooperate with such solicitation activities.
Section 20. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made (i) by the Warrant Agent or by the Holder of any Warrant Certificate to or on the Company, (ii) subject to the provisions of Section 18, by the Company or by the Holder of any Warrant Certificate to or on the Warrant Agent or (iii) by the Company or the Warrant Agent to the Holder of any Warrant Certificate, shall be deemed given (x) on the date delivered, if delivered personally, (y) on the first Business Day following the deposit thereof with Federal Express or another recognized overnight courier, if sent by Federal Express or another recognized overnight courier, and (z) on the fourth Business Day following the mailing thereof with postage prepaid, if mailed by registered or certified mail (return receipt requested), in each case to the parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified by like notice):
| (a) | If to the Company, to: |
Apricus Biosciences, Inc.
6330 Nancy Ridge Road
San Diego, California 92121
Attention: President
| (b) | If to the Warrant Agent, to: |
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Attn: Account Management
161 North Concord Exchange
South St. Paul, MN 55075
If to the Holder of any Warrant Certificate, to the address of such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company. Any notice required to be delivered by the Company to the Holder of any Warrant may be given by the Warrant Agent on behalf of the Company.
Section 21. Supplements and Amendments.
(a) The Company and the Warrant Agent may from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any Holders of Warrant Certificates in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, or to make any other provisions with regard to matters or questions arising hereunder which the Company and the Warrant Agent may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Warrant Certificates.
(b) In addition to the foregoing, with the consent of Holders of Warrants entitled, upon exercise thereof, to receive not less than a majority of the shares of Warrant Shares issuable thereunder, the Company and the Warrant Agent may modify this Agreement for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Warrant Agreement or modifying in any manner the rights of the holders of the Warrant Certificates; provided, however, that no modification of the terms (including but not limited to the adjustments described in Section 11) upon which the Warrants are exercisable or reducing the percentage required for consent to modification of this Agreement may be made without the consent of the holder of each outstanding warrant certificate affected thereby.
Section 22. Successors. All covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Warrant Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.
Section 23. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give any Person other than the Company and the Warrant Agent any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Warrant Agent and the Holders of the Warrant Certificates.
Section 24. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Warrant Certificate issued hereunder shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of California without giving effect to the conflicts of law principles thereof.
Section 25. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
Section 26. Captions. The captions of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
Section 27. Force Majeure. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, neither Warrant Agent nor the Company shall be liable for, or considered to be in breach of or default under this Agreement (including Section 15) on account of any delay or failure to perform its obligations hereunder due to causes beyond such party’s reasonable control including, without limitation, acts of God, terrorist acts, shortage of supply, breakdowns or malfunctions, interruptions or malfunction of computer facilities, or loss of data due to power failures or mechanical difficulties with information storage or retrieval systems, labor difficulties, war, or civil unrest.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
| | APRICUS BIOSCIENCES, INC. | |
| | | |
| | | | |
| | By: | /s/ Mark Westgate | |
| | Name: | Mark Westgate | |
| | Title: | President and Chief Financial Officer | |
| | | | |
| | WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. | |
| | | |
| | | | |
| | By: | /s/ Suzanne M. Swits | |
| | Name: | Suzanne M. Swits | |
| | Title: | Vice President | |
| | | | |
EXHIBIT A
FORM OF WARRANT CERTIFICATE
