Exhibit 1.1
6,471,000 Shares
VIKING THERAPEUTICS, INC.
COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $0.00001 PER SHARE
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
February 28, 2024
February 28, 2024
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
Leerink Partners LLC
c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
1585 Broadway
New York, New York 10036
c/o Leerink Partners LLC
255 California Street, 12th Floor
San Francisco, California 94111
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Viking Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Leerink Partners LLC are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), 6,471,000 shares of its common stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Firm Shares”). The Company also proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional 970,650 shares of its common stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “Additional Shares”), if and to the extent that the Representatives shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase such shares of common stock granted to the Underwriters in Section 2 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Shares.” The shares of common stock, par value $0.00001 per share, of the Company to be outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the “Common Stock.” In the event that the Company has only one subsidiary, then all references herein to “subsidiaries” of the Company shall be deemed to refer to such single subsidiary, mutatis mutandis.
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3ASR (File No. 333-273460), including a preliminary prospectus, relating to securities (the “Shelf Securities”), including the Shares, to be issued from time to time by the Company. The registration statement as amended to the date of this Underwriting Agreement (this “Agreement”), including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A or Rule 430B under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), is hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement,” and the related prospectus covering the Shelf Securities dated July 26, 2023 in the form first used to confirm sales of the Shares (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the “Basic Prospectus.” The Basic
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Prospectus, as supplemented by the prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Shares in the form first used to confirm sales of the Shares (or in the form first made available to the Underwriters by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) is hereinafter referred to as the “Prospectus” and the term “preliminary prospectus” means any preliminary form of the Prospectus.
For purposes of this Agreement, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the preliminary prospectus together with the documents and pricing information set forth in Schedule II hereto, and “broadly available road show” means a “bona fide electronic road show” as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) under the Securities Act that has been made available without restriction to any person. As used herein, the terms “Registration Statement,” “Basic Prospectus,” “preliminary prospectus,” “Time of Sale Prospectus” and “Prospectus” shall include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein as of the date hereof. The terms “supplement,” “amendment,” and “amend” as used herein with respect to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall include all documents subsequently filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein.
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On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters the Additional Shares, and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to 970,650 Additional Shares at the Purchase Price, provided, however, that the amount paid by the Underwriters for any Additional Shares shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends or distribution declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on such Additional Shares. The Representatives may exercise this right on behalf of the Underwriters in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice not later than 30 days after the date of this Agreement. Any exercise notice shall specify the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such Additional Shares are to be purchased. Each purchase date must be at least one business day after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the Closing Date for the Firm Shares, or, unless agreed to in writing by the Company, no earlier than two or later than ten business days after the date of such notice. On each day, if any, that Additional Shares are to be purchased (an “Option Closing Date”), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date as the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.
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Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Additional Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 2 or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than the tenth business day thereafter, as shall be designated in writing by the Representatives.
The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representatives shall request not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be delivered to the Representatives on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters duly paid, against payment of the Purchase Price therefor.
The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following conditions:
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With respect to Sections 5(c) and (d) above, Paul Hastings LLP and Cooley LLP may state that their opinions and beliefs are based upon their participation in the preparation of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and review and discussion of the contents thereof, but are without independent check or verification, except as specified.
The opinion and negative assurance letter of Paul Hastings LLP described in Section 5(c) above shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state therein.
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The Company also covenants with each Underwriter that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Leerink Partners LLC on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, and will not publicly disclose an intention to, during the period ending 90 days after the date of the Prospectus (the “Restricted Period”), (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, make any short sale or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, including any sales pursuant to the At-The-Market Equity Offering Sales Agreement entered into with Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, Truist Securities, Inc. and H.C. Wainwright & Co. LLC on July 28, 2021, as amended on July 26, 2023, or file or confidentially submit with the Commission a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to, any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the Shares, including but not limited to any options or warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock or any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, Common Stock, or any such substantially similar securities, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise (other than (A) the Shares to be sold to the Underwriters hereunder, (B) the issuance of options, restricted stock units, warrants or other equity awards to acquire shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to the Company Stock Plans that are described in the Prospectus, as such plans may be amended, (C) the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise or vesting of any such options, restricted stock units, warrants or other equity awards to acquire shares of Common Stock, (D) shares of Common Stock issued upon the exercise of outstanding warrants, (E) the filing of one or more Registration Statements on Form S-8 registering securities pursuant to the Company Stock Plans, (F) the issuance of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable for shares of Common Stock issued by the Company in connection with a joint venture or other strategic commercial transaction not primarily intended to raise capital between the Company and an unaffiliated third party; and provided that, in the case of clause (F), the aggregate
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number of shares of Common Stock that the Company may sell or issue or agree to sell or issue pursuant to clause (F) shall not exceed 5% of the total number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately following the completion of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement), and provided, further, that any newly appointed director or executive officer that is appointed during the Restricted Period that is a recipient of shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock pursuant to this clause (F) shall execute and deliver to the Representatives a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto covering the remainder of the Restricted Period and (G) facilitating the establishment of a trading plan on behalf of a stockholder, officer or director of the Company pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that (i) such plan for any executive officer or director does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the Restricted Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such required announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Common Stock may be made under such plan during the Restricted Period, and no other public announcement shall be made voluntarily).
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Global Market, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or the Chicago Board of Trade or other relevant exchanges, (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over‑the‑counter market, (iii) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States or other relevant jurisdiction shall have occurred, (iv) any moratorium on commercial banking activities
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If, on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one‑tenth of the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non‑defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as the Representatives may specify, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 10 by an amount in excess of one‑ninth of such number of Shares without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one‑tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives and the Company for the purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non‑defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In any such case either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Prospectus, in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one‑tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date or (ii) purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.
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If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement other than by reason of a default by the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out‑of‑pocket expenses (including the reasonably incurred fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.
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For purposes of this Section a “BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k). “Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b). “Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable. “U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
[Signature page follows]
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Very truly yours,
VIKING THERAPEUTICS, INC.
By: /s/ Brian Lian Ph.D.
Name: Brian Lian, Ph.D.
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
Accepted as of the date hereof
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
Leerink Partners LLC
Acting severally on behalf of themselves and
the several Underwriters named in
Schedule I hereto.
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
By: /s/ Chris Rigoli
Name: Chris Rigoli
Title: Executive Director
Leerink Partners LLC
By: /s/ Murphy Gallagher
Name: Murphy Gallagher
Title: Senior Managing Director
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
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SCHEDULE I
Underwriter | Number of Firm Shares To Be Purchased |
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Leerink Partners LLC | 1,019,183 |
William Blair & Company, L.L.C. | 808,875 |
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. | 647,100 |
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated | 647,100 |
Truist Securities, Inc. | 647,100 |
Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. | 404,437 |
BTIG, LLC | 210,308 |
H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC | 210,308 |
Maxim Group LLC | 113,242 |
Laidlaw & Company (U.K.) Ltd. | 97,064 |
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|
Total: | 6,471,000 |
I-1
SCHEDULE II
Time of Sale Prospectus
1. Preliminary Prospectus dated February 27, 2024
2. Schedule of other information included in the Time of Sale Prospectus:
Issuer: Viking Therapeutics, Inc.
Exchange Listing: VKTX / Nasdaq
Size: $550,035,000
Base Shares Offered: 6,471,000
Option to Purchase Additional Shares: 970,650
Price to Public (per share): $85.00
Trade Date: February 28, 2024
Closing Date: March 4, 2024
Underwriters: Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
Leerink Partners LLC
William Blair & Company, L.L.C.
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated
Truist Securities, Inc.
Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.
BTIG, LLC
H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC
Maxim Group LLC
Laidlaw & Company (U.K.) Ltd.
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EXHIBIT A
FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
_____________, 2024
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
Leerink Partners LLC
c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
1585 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
c/o Leerink Partners LLC
255 California Street, 12th Floor
San Francisco, California 94111
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Leerink Partners LLC (collectively, the “Representatives”), propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Viking Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters, including the Representatives (the “Underwriters”), of shares (the “Shares”) of the common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”).
To induce the Underwriters that may participate in the Public Offering to continue their efforts in connection with the Public Offering, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Leerink Partners LLC on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, and will not publicly disclose an intention to, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending 90 days after the date of the final prospectus supplement (the “Restricted Period”) relating to the Public Offering , (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock beneficially owned (as such term is used in Rule 13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), by the undersigned or any other securities so owned convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (the “Lock-Up Securities”) or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery
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of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the foregoing precludes the undersigned from engaging in any hedging or other transactions designed or intended, or which could reasonably be expected to lead to or result in, a sale or disposition of any shares of Common Stock, or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock, even if any such sale or disposition transaction or transactions would be made or executed by or on behalf of someone other than the undersigned.
The foregoing paragraph shall not apply to:
(1) any grant or exercise by the undersigned of any option, restricted stock unit award, warrant or other right to acquire any shares of Common Stock or options to purchase shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable for shares of Common Stock in accordance with their terms, pursuant to any stock option, stock bonus, equity incentive or other stock plan or arrangement; provided that the underlying shares shall continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this agreement, and provided further that any filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act with regard to this clause (1) shall clearly indicate in the footnotes thereto that the filing relates to the circumstances described in this clause (1) and no public filing, report or announcement shall be voluntarily made;
(2) any transfer of Lock-Up Securities for bona fide financial and estate planning purposes, including, but not limited to, transfers to the “immediate family” of the undersigned or to any trust, partnership, limited liability company or other legal entity commonly used for estate planning purposes, for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the “immediate family” of the undersigned;
(3) if the undersigned is a trust, to the beneficiary of such trust;
(4) any bona fide gift;
(5) any transfer of Lock-Up Securities by will or intestate succession;
(6) any distribution or other transfer by a partnership to its partners or former partners or by a limited liability company to its members or retired members or by a corporation to its stockholders or former stockholders or to any wholly-owned subsidiary of such corporation;
(7) transfers or dispositions of shares of Common Stock to any corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity all of the beneficial ownership interests which are held by the undersigned and/or the immediate family of the undersigned;
(8) any transfer in connection with a sale, merger or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the undersigned or any other change of control of the undersigned, not undertaken for the purpose of avoiding the restrictions imposed by this agreement;
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provided that in the event that such transaction is not completed, the Lock-Up Securities shall remain subject to the restrictions set forth herein;
(9) any transfer to the undersigned’s affiliates (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) or to any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by the undersigned;
(10) any transfer by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order or in connection with a divorce settlement;
(11) any shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company acquired in open market transactions after completion of the Public Offering; provided that, no filing by any party under the Exchange Act or other public announcement shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with such transfer;
(12) any transfer of Lock-Up Securities pursuant to a bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, consolidation, liquidation or other similar transaction made to all holders of the Company’s capital stock involving a change of control of the Company; provided that (i) the per-share consideration for the Lock-Up Securities transferred as described above shall be greater than the public offering price per share in the Public Offering, (ii) all Lock-Up Securities subject to this agreement that are not so transferred, sold, tendered or otherwise disposed of remain subject to this agreement and (iii) it shall be a condition of transfer, sale, tender or other disposition that if such tender offer, merger, consolidation or other such transaction is not completed, the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities shall remain subject to the restrictions herein;
(13) any transfer of Lock-Up Securities to the Company as forfeitures or other transfers, sales or dispositions to satisfy tax withholding obligations of the undersigned in connection with the vesting or exercise of equity awards or similar rights to purchase Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive plans or outstanding warrants; provided that any Lock-Up Securities acquired in connection with such vesting or exercise of equity awards or warrants described in this clause (13) shall be subject to the restrictions set forth in this agreement;
(14) any transfer of Lock-Up Securities to the Company pursuant to an exercise, including a net exercise or cashless exercise, by the undersigned of outstanding equity awards pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive plans or outstanding warrants; provided that any Lock-Up Securities acquired upon the net exercise or cashless exercise of equity awards described in this clause (14) shall be subject to the restrictions set forth in this lock-up agreement;
(15) in connection with sales of the undersigned’s Shares made pursuant to a 10b5-1 trading plan (“10b5-1 trading plan”) that is designed to comply with Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act (as such rule was in effect at the time any such trading plan was adopted) that has been entered into by the undersigned prior to the date of this agreement and
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provided to the Representatives and their counsel, provided that to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of the undersigned or the Company regarding any such sales, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that any sales were effected pursuant to such 10b5-1 trading plan and no other public announcement shall be made voluntarily in connection with such sales; or
(16) any transfer in connection with the repurchase of the Lock-Up Securities or other securities by the Company pursuant to agreements providing for the right of said repurchase in connection with the termination of the undersigned’s employment or consulting service with the Company;
provided that in the case of any transfer, gift or other disposition pursuant to (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9) or (10), the transferee, trust, donee or other recipient agrees to be bound in writing by the terms of this agreement prior to such transfer and no filing by any party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) under the Exchange Act shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with such transfer (other than required filings under Section 16(a) and Section 13(d) or 13(g) of the Exchange Act, and any filings made after the expiration of the Restricted Period); and provided further that in the case of (13) or (14), any report filed by the undersigned in connection with such transactions under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall include a statement in such report to the effect that the purpose of such transfer was either (A) to cover tax withholding obligations of the undersigned in connection with such vesting or exercise, or (B) in connection with a cashless or net exercise of equity awards.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, nothing herein shall prevent the undersigned from establishing a 10b5-1 trading plan or from amending an existing 10b5-1 trading plan so long as there are no sales of Lock-Up Securities under such new plan or amended plan during the Restricted Period.
For purposes of this agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage, domestic partnership or adoption, not more remote than first cousin. For purposes of this agreement, “affiliate” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, including without limitation any general partner, limited partner, managing member, manager, member, employee, officer, director or trustee of such entity or natural person, or any trust for the benefit of any of the foregoing or any affiliate of the foregoing, or any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by the foregoing or affiliates of the foregoing and “change of control” shall mean the transfer (whether by tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction), in one transactions or a series of related transactions, to a person or group of affiliated persons (other than an Underwriter pursuant to the Public Offering), of the Company’s voting securities if, after such transfer, such person or group of affiliated persons would hold at least 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Company (or the surviving entity), provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the Public Offering shall not constitute a change of control.
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In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Leerink Partners LLC on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, and will not publicly disclose an intention to, during the Restricted Period, make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.
The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters are relying upon this agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public Offering. The undersigned further understands that this agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns. This agreement may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, e.g., www.docusign.com or www.echosign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.
The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters have not provided any recommendation or investment advice nor have the Underwriters solicited any action from the undersigned with respect to the Public Offering of the Shares and the undersigned has consulted their own legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent deemed appropriate. The undersigned further acknowledges and agrees that, although the Underwriters may provide certain Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS disclosures or other related documentation to you in connection with the Public Offering, the Underwriters are not making a recommendation to you to participate in the Public Offering or sell any Shares at the price determined in the Public Offering, and nothing set forth in such disclosures or documentation is intended to suggest that any Underwriter is making such a recommendation. The undersigned further acknowledges and agrees that none of the Underwriters has made any recommendation or provided any investment or other advice to the undersigned with respect to this agreement or the subject matter hereof, and the undersigned has consulted its own legal, accounting, financial, regulatory, tax and other advisors with respect to this agreement and the subject matter hereof to the extent the undersigned has deemed appropriate.
Whether or not the Public Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Public Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Underwriters.
This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
It is understood that, this agreement shall automatically terminate, and the undersigned shall be released from its obligations hereunder, upon the earliest to occur, if
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any, of (i) prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement, the Company advises the Representatives in writing that it has determined not to proceed with the Public Offering, (ii) prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement, the Representatives advise the Company in writing that they have determined not to proceed with the Public Offering, (iii) the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof that survive termination) is executed but is terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Shares, or (iv) March 15, 2024, in the event that the Underwriting Agreement has not been executed by such date.
[Signature page follows]
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Very truly yours,
____________________________________
Name of Securityholder (Print exact name)
By:_________________________________
Signature
If not signing in an individual capacity:
____________________________________
Name of Authorized Signatory (Print)
____________________________________
Title of Authorized Signatory (Print)
(indicate capacity of person signing if signing as custodian, trustee, or on behalf of an entity)