Seres Therapeutics (MCRB) S-8 Registration of securities for employees

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 30, 2022

Registration No. 333-

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

SERES THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	27-4326290
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

200 Sidney Street – 4^th Floor

Cambridge, MA 02139

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

Seres Therapeutics, Inc. 2022 Employment Inducement Award Plan

(Full title of the plan)

Eric D. Shaff

President and Chief Executive Officer

Seres Therapeutics, Inc.

200 Sidney Street – 4^th Floor

Cambridge, MA 02139

(Name and address of agent for service)

(617) 945-9626

(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Copies to:

Peter N. Handrinos, Esq.

Latham & Watkins LLP

200 Clarendon Street

Boston, MA 02116

(617) 948-6060

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer	☒	Accelerated filer	☐
Non-accelerated filer	☐	Smaller reporting company	☐
		Emerging growth company	☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

The information called for in Part I of Form S-8 is not being filed with or included in this Registration Statement (by incorporation by reference or otherwise) in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”).

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The following documents filed with the Commission are hereby incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement:

(a) the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the Commission on March 1, 2022 (File No. 001-37465);

(b) the Registrant’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March  31, 2022, June  30, 2022 and September 30, 2022, filed with the Commission on May 4, 2022, August 3, 2022 and November 2, 2022, respectively (in each case, File No. 001-37465);

(c) the Registrant’s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June  7, 2022 (solely with respect to Item 8.01), June  24, 2022, June  30, 2022, and December 14, 2022 (in each case, File No. 001-37465); and

(d) the description of the Registrant’s Common Stock contained in the prospectus included in the Registrant’s registration statement on Form S-1, as amended (Reg. No. 333-204484), which description is incorporated by reference into the Form 8-A (File No. 001-37465) filed with the Commission on June 22, 2015, pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), as updated by “Description of Capital Stock” filed as Exhibit 4.2 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the Commission on March 2, 2021 (File No. 001-37465) and any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

All reports and other documents filed by the Registrant with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date hereof (except for any portions of the Registrant’s Current Reports on Form 8-K furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 and/or Item 7.01 thereof and any corresponding exhibits thereto not filed with the Commission) and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement, which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents or reports.

Any statement contained in this Registration Statement, in an amendment hereto or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any subsequently filed amendment to this Registration Statement or in any document that also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement, except as to specific section of such statements as set forth therein.

Under no circumstances shall any information furnished under Item 2.02 and/or Item 7.01 of Current Report on Form 8-K and any corresponding exhibits thereto be deemed incorporated herein by reference unless such Current Report on Form 8-K expressly provides to the contrary.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

Not applicable.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Subsection (a) of Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware(the “DGCL”), empowers a corporation to indemnify any person who was or is a party or who is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the person’s conduct was unlawful.

Subsection (b) of Section 145 empowers a corporation to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the person acted in any of the capacities set forth above, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

Section 145 further provides that to the extent a director or officer of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 145, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith; that indemnification provided for by Section 145 shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the indemnified party may be entitled; and the indemnification provided for by Section 145 shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of such person’s heirs, executors and administrators. Section 145 also empowers the corporation to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liabilities under Section 145.

Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL provides that a corporation’s certificate of incorporation may contain a provision eliminating or limiting the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, provided that such provision shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the DGCL, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

The Registrant’s amended and restated bylaws (the “Bylaws”) provide that it will indemnify each person who was or is a party or threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Registrant) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was, or has agreed to become, a director or officer, or, while a director or officer, is or was serving, or has agreed to serve, at the Registrant’s request as a director, officer, partner, employee or trustee of, or in a similar capacity with, another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (including, without limitation, any employee benefit plan) (all such persons being referred to hereafter as an “Indemnitee”), or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, against all expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees), liabilities, losses, judgments, fines (including, without limitation, excise taxes and penalties arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974), and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with such action, suit or proceeding and any appeal therefrom, if such Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the Registrant’s best interests, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suitor proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Registrant, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.

The Bylaws provide that the Registrant will indemnify any Indemnitee who was or is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Registrant to procure a judgment in the Registrant’s favor by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was, or has agreed to become, a director or officer, or, while a director or officer, is or was serving, or has agreed to serve, at the Registrant’s request as a director, officer, partner, employee or trustee of, or in a similar capacity with, another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (including, without limitation, any employee benefit plan), or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, against all expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with such action, suit or proceeding and any appeal therefrom, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Registrant, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Registrant, unless, and only to the extent, that the Court of Chancery of Delaware or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of such liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees) which the Court of Chancery of Delaware or such other court shall deem proper. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that an Indemnitee has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in defense of any action, suit or proceeding, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, or on appeal from any such action, suit or proceeding, Indemnitee shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by law against all expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection therewith. Expenses must be advanced to an Indemnitee under certain circumstances.

The Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with each of its directors and executive officers in which the Registrant has agreed to indemnify, defend and hold harmless, and also advance expenses as incurred, to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law, from damage arising from the fact that such person is or was an officer or director of the Registrant or its subsidiaries.

The indemnification rights set forth above shall not be exclusive of any other right which an Indemnitee may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, the Registrant’s restated certificate of incorporation, Bylaws, any agreement, any vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

The Registrant expects to maintain standard policies of insurance that provide coverage to (1) the Registrant’s directors and officers against loss rising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act and (2) to the Registrant with respect to indemnification payments that we may make to such directors and officers.

The Registrant has purchased and intends to maintain insurance on behalf of the Company and any person who is or was a director or officer against any loss arising from any claim asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in that capacity, subject to certain exclusions and limits of the amount of coverage.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.

Item 8. Exhibits.

Exhibit Number	Description of Exhibit
4.1	Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-37456) filed on July 1, 2015)
4.2	Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-37456) filed on December 7, 2020)
5.1*	Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP
23.1*	Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
23.2*	Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
24.1	Power of Attorney (included on signature page)
99.1*	Seres Therapeutics, Inc. 2022 Employment Inducement Award Plan
107.1*	Filing Fee Table

* Filed herewith

Item 9. Undertakings.

(a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective Registration Statement; and

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) of this section do not apply if the Registration Statement is on Form S-8, and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(h) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Cambridge, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on this 30th day of December, 2022.

SERES THERAPEUTICS, INC.
By:	/s/ Eric D. Shaff
	Eric D. Shaff
	President and Chief Executive Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Eric D. Shaff and David Arkowitz, or either of them, as his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to file and sign any and all amendments, including post-effective amendments, to this registration statement, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitute or substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. This power of attorney shall be governed by and construed with the laws of the State of Delaware and applicable federal securities laws.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

SIGNATURE	TITLE	DATE
/s/ Eric D. Shaff	President, Chief Executive Officer, Director	December 30, 2022
Eric D. Shaff	(principal executive officer)
/s/ David Arkowitz David Arkowitz	Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Head of Business Development (principal accounting officer and principal financial officer)	December 30, 2022
/s/ Stephen Berenson	Chairman of the Board	December 30, 2022
Stephen Berenson
/s/ Dennis Ausiello	Director	December 30, 2022
Dennis Ausiello, M.D.
/s/ Grégory Behar	Director	December 30, 2022
Grégory Behar

/s/ Paul R. Biondi	Director	December 30, 2022
Paul R. Biondi
/s/ Willard H. Dere	Director	December 30, 2022
Willard H. Dere, M.D.
/s/ Kurt C. Graves	Director	December 30, 2022
Kurt C. Graves
/s/ Richard N. Kender	Director	December 30, 2022
Richard N. Kender
/s/ Meryl S. Zausner	Director	December 30, 2022
Meryl S. Zausner