Summary of the Amended and Restated 2012 Incentive Compensation Plan
In December 2013, we adopted, and our stockholders approved, the 2012 Plan, pursuant to which 1,650,000 shares of our common stock are reserved for issuance as grants of options or other awards to officers, directors, employees, consultants and other persons who provide services to us or any related entity. The 2012 Plan provides for the grant of options to purchase shares of common stock, restricted stock, stock appreciation rights and restricted stock units (rights to receive, in cash or stock, the market value of one share of our common stock). Incentive stock options may be granted only to employees. Under the 2012 Plan, options may be granted at an exercise price greater than or equal to the market value at the date of the grant, and for owners of 10% or more of the voting shares, at an exercise price of not less than 110% of the market value. Awards are exercisable over a period of time as determined by a committee designated by the Board of Directors, but in no event longer than ten years. We have granted 531,864 shares under the 2012 Plan as of August 31, 2018.
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Related Party Transactions, Promoters and Director Independence
Since the beginning of fiscal year 2016, there have been no transactions, nor are there any currently proposed transactions, between us and any of our officers, directors or their family members, in which the amount involved exceeds the lesser of $120,000 or one percent of the average of our total assets at year end for the last two completed fiscal years.
We have adopted a policy that any transactions with directors, officers, beneficial owners of five percent or more of our common shares, any immediate family members of the foregoing or entities of which any of the foregoing are also officers or directors or in which they have a financial interest, will only be on terms consistent with industry standards and approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of our board.
OTHER MATTERS
Section 16(A) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Rules adopted by the SEC under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act, require our officers and directors, and persons who own more than 10% of the issued and outstanding shares of our equity securities, to file reports of their ownership, and changes in ownership, of such securities with the SEC on Forms 3, 4 or 5, as appropriate. Such persons are required by the regulations of the SEC to furnish us with copies of all forms they file pursuant to Section 16(a).
Based solely upon a review of Forms 3, 4 and 5 and amendments thereto furnished to us during our most recent fiscal year, and any written representations provided to us, we believe that all of the officers, directors, and owners of more than 10% of the outstanding shares of our common stock complied with Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act for the year ended December 31, 2017.
Stockholder Proposals and Director Nominations for 2019 Annual Meeting
For any proposal, including director nominees, to be considered for inclusion in our proxy statement and form of proxy for submission to the stockholders at our 2019 annual meeting, it must be submitted in writing and comply with the requirements of Rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such proposals must be received by the Company at its offices at 875 Prospect Street, Suite 304, La Jolla, California 92037 on or before January 31, 2019. Our board of directors will review any proposals from eligible stockholders that it receives by that date and will make a determination whether any such proposals will be included in our proxy materials. Any proposal received after that date shall be considered untimely and shall not be made a part of our proxy materials.
A stockholder who wishes to make a proposal at the next annual meeting without including the proposal in our proxy statement must also notify us within a reasonable time before we print and mail the proxy materials. If a stockholder fails to give reasonable advance notice, then the persons named as proxies in the proxies solicited by us for the next annual meeting will have discretionary authority to vote on the proposal.